BRUSSELS, December 14, 2000 - Greenpeace called on all NATO countries to oppose the proposed U.S. national missile defense (NMD) system, dubbed "Star Wars", while protesting outside the NATO headquarters where foreign ministers are meeting today to review arms control and disarmament policy.
To highlight worldwide concern that the Star Wars missile system will re-ignite a nuclear arms race, activists from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Canada, Belgium and the United States formed a human chain across the main entrance to the NATO headquarters. The activists also unfurled a banner reading "Stop Star Wars" featuring the U.S. flag and a montage of missiles and radiation symbols. After more than two hours on the scene, 39 activists were arrested and remain in custody.
"If it proceeds ‘Star Wars’ will throw all disarmament talks off track and prompt countries with nuclear weapons to expand their nuclear arsenals, launching another Cold War," said Greenpeace disarmament campaigner William Peden. "Disarmament talks and policies, like the ones being reviewed today, will be futile if the Bush administration goes ahead and deploys the Star Wars missile system."
Greenpeace expressed concern that in her opening statement to the foreign ministers’ meeting, outgoing Secretary of State Madeleine Albright suggested the United States would continue to lobby NATO to accept the Star Wars program and Russia to amend the ABM Treaty so that the program can go ahead. Greenpeace expressed further concern that President-elect George W. Bush wants an even larger "Star Wars" missile system than the one currently under consideration by the Clinton administration.
"A larger Star Wars missile program creates an even larger risk," said Peden. "The Star Wars issue will be one of the first and most important foreign policy decisions for the Bush administration. If George W. Bush is serious about wanting to protect Americans, he must not make the huge foreign policy mistake of proceeding with the Star Wars program."
Greenpeace also noted that the threat of an even larger Star Wars program increased the need for NATO countries to voice political opposition and withhold material support. A key criteria set by the Clinton Administration to determine if Star Wars could be approved was that it must be supported by America's European allies. Already opposition from a number of countries, including France, Germany, Russia and China has been voiced.
The United Kingdom and Denmark could also play a special role in stopping the Star Wars program. Without two key radar installations, one at Fylingdales in the United Kingdom, and the other in Greenland, (whose foreign policy is controlled by Denmark), the Star Wars program cannot proceed. Greenpeace singled out the two NATO members and called on them to "stop beating around the Bush" and reject the radar installation plans.
Two out of three NMD tests, conducted under ideal conditions, have failed. Up to four more tests are scheduled for 2001. This is also when President-elect Bush must decide whether or not to approve the next phase of Star Wars.
CONTACT: Mary MacNutt: 202-285-6629;
William Peden: 01144-7801212992,
MIKE TOWNSLEY 011 31-21296918 or
Jon Walter 011-31-653504731
39 Greenpeace volunteers, including ten from the UK, were arrested this
morning following a protest outside NATO HQ against the proposed U.S.
national missile defence (NMD) system, dubbed "Star Wars". Those arrested
included ex-Labour government Adviser Stephen Tindale, now Director of
Policy for Greenpeace UK (1)
The protests coincided with the start of a NATO foreign ministers meeting to
review arms control and disarmament policy, as well as with the announcement
that George W. Bush will be the next President of the United States.
A total of 55 activists from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, The
Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Canada, Belgium and the United States
formed a human chain, linked by metal tubes, across the main entrance to the
NATO headquarters. They unfurled a banner reading "Stop Star Wars" which
read and featured a U.S. flag, with a montage of missiles and radiation
symbols. Meanwhile a 30 foot long helium balloon, floating above the truck,
sent a strong visual message to ministers inside the building.
The protest lasted for two and a half hours until the police and fire
service managed to cut the protestors apart with angle grinders, after both
bolt cutters and pneumatic cutters failed to separate them.
Greenpeace disarmament campaigner William Peden said,
"Disarmament talks and policies, like the ones being reviewed today, will be
futile if the Bush administration goes ahead and deploys the Star Wars
missile system. If it proceeds 'Star Wars' will throw all disarmament talks
off track and prompt countries with nuclear weapons to expand their nuclear
arsenals, launching another Cold War."
Greenpeace expressed extreme concern that President Elect George W. Bush
wants an even larger "Star Wars" missile system than the one currently under
consideration by the Clinton administration.
"A larger Star Wars missile program creates an even larger risk," said
Peden. "The Star Wars issue will be one of the first and most important
foreign policy decisions for the Bush administration. If George W. Bush is
serious about wanting to protect Americans, he must not make the huge
foreign policy mistake of proceeding with the Star Wars program."
Greenpeace also noted that the threat of an even larger Star Wars program
increased the need for NATO countries to voice political opposition and
withhold material support. A key criteria set by the Clinton Administration
to determine if Star Wars could be approved, was that it must be supported
by America's European allies. Already opposition from a number of countries,
including France, Germany, Russia and China has been voiced.
The United Kingdom and Denmark could also play a special role in stopping
the Star Wars program. Without two key radar installations, one at
Fylingdales in the United Kingdom, and the other in Greenland, (whose
foreign policy is controlled by Denmark), the Star Wars program cannot
proceed. Greenpeace singled out the two NATO members and called on them to
"stop beating around the Bush" and reject the radar installation plans.
The U.S. national missile defence (NMD) system has been called "Star Wars"
because of its similarity to the failed proposal pushed by former U.S.
President Ronald Reagan. Both systems use radar and satellites to detect
enemy missiles, as they are fired, and U.S.-based missiles or lasers in
space to destroy them before they reach their targets.
Two out of three NMD tests, conducted under ideal conditions, have failed.
Up to four more tests are scheduled for 2001. This is also when President
elect. Bush must decide whether or not to approve the next phase of Star
Wars. If he does, there would be at least fifteen more tests, and the more
than $60 billion system could become operational as early as 2005.
NOTES
Stephen Tindale was employed Advisor to Environment Minister Michael
Meacher before leaving his post to become Director of Policy for Greenpeace
UK in early 2000.
CONTACT: Campaigners - William Peden: 01144-7801212992, Mike Townsley 01131-21296918
Footage and photos of the demonsatration are available
To contact the UK Press Office call 0207 865 8255/6/7.
- contact Jon Walter, International Press Officer on 011-31-653504731.
Out of hours call 01399 787076.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001214/ts/nato_protest_dc_1.html
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) - Greenpeace activists formed a human chain blocking entry to NATO (news - web sites)'s Brussels headquarters on Thursday ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers to protest U.S. plans for a "Star Wars"-style missile defense system.
Foreign ministers from NATO's 19 member states gathered in Brussels for a crunch meeting on the basic terms of a security deal with the European Union (news - web sites), but Greenpeace said there would also be informal talks on the U.S. plans.
``If the U.S. goes ahead with this $60 billion madness it will set the world back 20 years into a new Cold War, lead to another nuclear arms race and dramatically increase the risk of nuclear war,'' Greenpeace disarmament campaigner William Peden said in a statement.
Some 15 Greenpeace supporters linked hands across the main entrance to the concrete NATO complex in a suburb of Brussels, with the person at each end chained to a lamp post, a Reuters reporter on the scene said.
A huge helium balloon floated above a truck with the words ''Stop Star Wars'' printed on its side.
Greenpeace said in a statement a group of 55 protesters would take part in the action. The Reuters reporter said he had seen police arrest four of the Greenpeace activists.
A police spokesman confirmed arrests had been made but did not give further details. The spokesman said there were between 40 and 50 protesters and they had also chained the truck.