Weapons Conference on the run

New Zealand's annual weapons conference opened this morning at the Duxton Hotel in Wellington. Despite a veil of secrecy over plans for the conference, delegates were again greeted by protesters on arrival.

For the last several years, the conference had been held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa, but steadily growing public opposition to the arms dealers culminated in the complete shutdown of the museum during the 2006 conference. This year the warmongers have been forced to retreat entirely to the Duxton Hotel, previously used only for their Wednesday evening awards dinners.

Sponsors of last year's conference included L3 Communications - the sixth largest defense company in the United States, providing surveillance equipment and aircraft maintenance; Serco, a company involved in nuclear weapons; Safe Air Ltd, who've worked on Indonesian war planes; and KBR, the former Halliburton subsidiary which provides logistical support to the US army in Iraq.

Peace Action Wellington is calling on everyone who opposes the warmongers to come to the Duxton Hotel on Wakefield St at 6pm on Wednesday, to tell them they're not welcome in our city.

For more information about the weapons industry in New Zealand check out www.peacewellington.org and Peace Movement Aotearoa www.converge.org.nz/pma

ENDS

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