HONG KONG, 17 August 1995

GREENPEACE CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL PROTEST AS CHINESE SET OFF NEW NUCLEAR TEST

HONG KONG, 17 August 1995 - (GP) Greenpeace called for global protest against China today as news broke that the Chinese have set off another nuclear test just two days after Greenpeace activists were detained for holding up an anti-nuclear testing banner in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.

A report out of China's Xinhau news agency said that a 20- kilotonne explosion was detonated at China's Lop Nor test site today, the second test since the signing of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in May.

"Greenpeace is calling for international condemnation and protest against China's nuclear testing program," said Damon Moglen from Hong Kong. "Our protest two days ago in Beijing was an effort to forestall what we view as an international crisis over nuclear testing. Today that crisis is closer to being upon us."

Greenpeace said it believes China's test today, along with recent non-nuclear weapons tests over the past few weeks, gives provocation to other countries in the region to pursue both nuclear and military capability and that this test could seriously threaten, if not destroy, any hope of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) currently under negotiation.

"What China has provoked today with this nuclear weapons test is not only regional instability but international insecurity," Moglen said. "Recent statements by China that it supports a CTBT pale in light of its action today. China has, in fact, added fuel to the fire of France's decision to resume testing and put pressure on all nuclear weapons states to test or fall behind these two countries in their game of nuclear one-upmanship."

China and other nuclear nations pledged to the international community at recent NPT talks to 'exercise utmost restraint' on nuclear testing and to pursue a CTBT as speedily as possible.

"The international community and a vocal public must send a strong message to both China and France that they are violating their Treaty commitments and that they will be held accountable for putting their own selfish and short-sighted purposes before the achieving of a global ban on testing," said Moglen.

China has conducted 23 tests in the atmosphere and now at least 20 underground, with three other seismic events suspected of being nuclear tests. The latest test brings the official number to 43 tests. China has said it plans three or four more tests this year. -more-

China's current testing programme is thought to involve nuclear warheads for two new missile systems, one for deployment in the late 1990s, the other around 2010. France has also admitted that it's testing program to begin in September in the South Pacific would allow it to test a new weapons system.

Greenpeace protester Anne Dingwall, who was recently detained by Chinese authorities for holding up an anti-nuclear testing banner in Tiananment Square with four others, and Greenpeace anti- nuclear campaigner Damon Moglen held a press conference in Hong Kong today. All of the Greenpeace protesters have been deported from China and, but for Dingwall and Moglen, are returning to their countries.

Greenpeace is campaigning against nuclear testing by France and China, the two remaining nuclear weapon states still testing, and is urging the international community to speedily adopt a CTBT this year which would ban all tests in all environments for all time.

Contact:

Damon Moglen in Hong Kong: +852-2369-3111 ext. 1710

Jean McSorley, Greenpeace Asia Campaign: +612-211-4066 or +612-568-3265

Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications: +44171-833-0600