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Greenpeace Vessel Sailing Towards Star Wars Test
GREENPEACE VESSEL SAILING TOWARDS STAR WARS TEST SITE
PHOTOS AND VIDEO AVAILABLE
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, July 6, 2000 (10:00 a.m PST)
Escalating its
protest against the Pentagon’s “Star Wars” missile program,
the international anti-nuclear organisation Greenpeace is
sending its vessel MV Arctic Sunrise into waters off the
launch site at Vandenberg Air Force base where a test
launch is scheduled for the evening of Friday 7 July (US
time).
The vessel is headed towards waters
designated as a hazard zone by the Air Forces for the
purposes of the missile test. The Air Force issued a
request on Tuesday that ships stay clear of these kind of
zones before the test proceeds.
Late yesterday
Greenpeace USA Executive Director Ellen McPeake sent an
urgent letter to President Clinton urging him to cancel
this test and the entire Star Wars program before it does
any more damage to existing arms control agreements and
sparks a new and dangerous nuclear arms race.
“Mr.
President, you have the finger on the Star Wars button. We
urge you take it off and make the world a safer place,” the
letter read.
Aboard the 164 foot Dutch-registered
Arctic Sunrise are 23 people, including activists from New
Zealand, Australia, the Cook Islands, United States,
Russia, France, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, India,
Argentina, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Turkey.
“The Star Wars program is wrong and must be
scrapped,” said Greenpeace spokesperson John Sprange aboard
the Arctic Sunrise. “We want President Clinton to stop this
test which puts the United States and the rest of the world
at grave risk.”
Outside Vandenberg’s Air Force
Base’s front gate, Greenpeace continues to maintain an
around the clock vigil, with disarmament experts on hand to
provide background information to the public and the media.
Greenpeace has also launched a special website,
www.stopstarwars.org, which offers people around the world
a chance to send letters directly to President Clinton
voicing their opposition to the Star Wars program.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Toni Hessell, the New Zealander
on board the Arctic Sunrise, is available for interviews by
calling ++1-202-251- 6297.
Photos are available in the U.S. by calling: 202-256-0676
Photo enquiries Europe ++31-653 819121
Video enquires in the United States: 202-319-2496 or 202- 2516296
Video enquires
in Europe: ++31-653504721
On site media co-ordinator: 805-598-2527 or 805-598-2517
By
calling these numbers it is also possible to arrange
interviews from the Arctic Sunrise.
=========================================
Tricia
Allen Campaign and Communications Director Greenpeace New
Zealand tricia.allen@nz.greenpeace.org phone ++ 64 9 630
6317 / +64 25 790817 fax ++ 64 9 630 7121
http://www.greenpeace.org
=========================================
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.
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