From: MV Solo
Date: FRI 14-APR-95 06:02:07 GMT
Subject: Solo Update 04/14 & 15/95 0600 GMT DAY 51

PINTAIL STEAMS AHEAD AS HAWAIIAN GOVERNOR RAISES OBJECTIONS WITH JAPAN

hide random home http://www.greenpeace.org/~comms/51.html (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)

The Pacific Pintail with its 14 tonnes of radioactive waste is in position (0600 GMT) is 23 degrees 30 minutes North, and 179 degrees and 03 minutes West. The Pintail's course is 285 degrees and the ship's speed is 13.5 knots. We are at the moment some 360 miles southwest of the Midway Islands. For other distances to Pacific Islands please see enclosed table.

While making its way towards Japan to deliver its cargo of 14 tonnes of radioactive waste, the Pacific Pintail's passage has raised further concerns with Hawaii legislators. In a letter to US President Bill Clinton, Hawaii Governor Cayetano has renewed Hawaii's request for assistance in expediting an evaluation of Hawaii's emergency plans in the event any shipments of dangerous levels of radioactive waste and plutonium passing near Hawaii should result in a nuclear emergency. In addition, the Hawaii Governor stated his concern about the high level radioactive waste and plutonium shipments passing Hawaii, to Japan's Prime Minister, Tomiichi Murayama and French President Eduard Balladur.

The transports of radioactive waste and plutonium find their origin in the commercial plutonium separation industry in France, the United Kingdom and Japan. Through governmental support and encouragement the industry has thus far avoided in having placed any restraints or limitations on its production and trading capacity. Last month, a mandate for negotiations to start at the Geneva Conference on Disarmament on a production ban on military fissile (including plutonium) materials failed to include commercial plutonium in its scope. Since commercial plutonium can be used directly to produce a nuclear weapon, the continuing production and commerce in this material not only severely pollutes our planet, it also makes virtually certain that non- proliferation objectives designed to prevent the spread of atomic weapons are bound to ultimately fail.

Next week in New York the Review and Extension Conference of the Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) begins. The some 170 States Party to the Treaty will vote how to extend the NPT, and decide what kind of steps need to be undertaken to assure that nuclear weapons, technology and materials are not spread all over the globe. While the nuclear weapons states are encouraging the trade in plutonium out of economic considerations, the non-nuclear weapons states hopefully will hold on to demands that will truly forward nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

Greenpeace urges all States Party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to call for an end on the production and trade in commercial plutonium at the NPT Extension Conference.

Pacific State City/Island Distance/Direction relative to PP's course
Hawaii, Oahu Honolulu 1,300 miles, 150 degrees right of PP
Tahiti Papeete 3,090 miles, 145 degrees left of PP
Kiribati Bairiki 1,375 miles, 90 degrees left of PP
Nauru Nauru Island 1,595 miles, 80 degrees left of PP
Western Samoa Apia 2,305 miles, 120 degrees left of PP
American Samoa Pago Pago 2,330 miles, 120 degrees left of PP
Tonga Nuku'Alofa 2,710 miles, 115 degrees left of PP
Tuvalu Funafuti 1,925 miles, 100 degrees left of PP
Fiji Suva 2,500 miles, 105 degrees left of PP
Solomon Isl. Honiara 2,280 miles, 75 degrees left of PP
Vanuatu Palikulo Bay 2,460 miles, 90 degrees left of PP
F.S. Micronesia Pohnpei 1,565 miles, 55 degrees left of PP
Marshall Isl. Bikini 1,060 miles, 60 degrees left of PP
Guam Guam 2,080 miles, 35 degrees left of PP

Media updates from the Solo are sent out on a daily basis at approximately 0600 GMT and 1900 GMT. If additional information on the Pacific Pintail's voyage or it's cargo of plutonium waste is required, please contact Bas Bruyne on the Solo (phone:++ 872-1301166), or Karen Richardson at Greenpeace UK (phone: ++44-171-226-3151). Photo, video, or other media requests should be made to Blair Palese or Mark Warford at Greenpeace Communications (phone: ++44-171-8330-600).

Best regards
and No Nukes!
Ulf Birgander (Captain)

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