From: Greenpeace vessel MV Solo tracking Pacific Pintail
Date: WED 29-MAR-95 06:08:19 GMT - DAY 35, PART I
The Pacific Pintail's position as of 0600 GMT is 290 miles south of Easter Island, which we expect to pass today on a distance of some 220 miles. The Pintail is in a position of 31 degrees 56 minutes south, and 111 degrees and 32 minutes west, and the ship's course is 320 degrees, sailing at a speed of 13 knots. The Pintail is some 4,180 miles southeast of Hawaii.
Yesterday was the start of the OPANAL General Conference where Caribbean and Latin American countries will discuss what measures to take to limit and restrict shipments of radioactive waste and plutonium through the region. The conference is held in Vina del mar, Chile from March 28 to 30. OPANAL is the Secretariat for the regional "Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean."
Greenpeace has called on all countries along possible shipping routes to prohibit these highly dangerous radioactive transports from the waters under their jurisdiction. Countries have the jurisdiction to protect and preserve the marine environment under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In doing so, countries should apply the precautionary principle as formulated in the 1992 Rio Declaration on the protection of the sea, to prevent possible damage and unrepairable harm to the marine environment and ecosystems in the waters under their jurisdiction. Greenpeace has prepared a paper that deals with the international law applicable to the passage of vessels carrying highly radioactive cargo.*
For additional information on the Pacific Pintail's voyage or it's cargo of plutonium waste, please contact Bas Bruyne on the Solo (phone: ++874-1301166--Warning $10 per minute), or Karen Richardson at Greenpeace UK (phone: ++44-171-226-3151). Photo, video, or other media requests to Blair Palese or Mark Warford at Greenpeace Communications (phone: ++44-171-833-0600).
The legal paper on the right to control nuclear transports under international law is now on the Internet as a hypertext document. If interested, return to the Greenpeace home page and see the Multilateral Treaties section or go directly to http://www.greenpeace.org/~intlaw/nuk-law.html
Best regards and No Nukes!
Ulf Birgander (Captain)
From: Greenpeace vessel MV Solo tracking Pacific Pintail
Date: WED 29-MAR-95 19:00:12 GMT - DAY 35, PART II
The Pacific Pintail's position (1900 GMT) is 270 miles south of Easter Island, which we are passing today on a closest distance of 250 miles. The Pintail is in a position of 30 degrees 12 minutes south, and 113 degrees and 24 minutes west, and the ship's course is 317 degrees, sailing at a speed of 12.5 knots. The Pintail is some 4,050 miles southeast of Hawaii, which lies straight ahead of the vessel.
At the OPANAL General Conference, which started yesterday, Chile made a strong declaration conveying to the international community of nations its opposition to the shipment of radioactive waste through the South American region. Earlier this month, the Pacific Pintail carrying 28 canisters of high level radioactive waste from France to Japan, violated Chile's prohibition of the ship's passage through its jurisdictional waters.
The Chilean Government denied the Pintail passage on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Chilean government passed a resolution denying the nuclear waste ship entrance to its 200 mile economic zone based on the precautionary principle of the 1992 Rio Declaration on the protection of the sea to prevent possible damage and irreparable harm to the marine environment and ecosystem. The Pacific Pintail was forced out of the Chilean economic zone by the Chilean Navy.
OPANAL is the Secretariat for the regional "Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean." Given recent statements by the plutonium industry about increased secrecy around future transports of radioactive waste and plutonium, it is likely that without firm regional prohibitions radioactive waste and plutonium shipments will continue to pose a threat to the environments of the Caribbean and Latin American states. Greenpeace has called on all countries along possible shipping routes to prohibit these highly dangerous radioactive transports from the waters under their jurisdiction, and has prepared a legal paper that evaluates international law applicable to the passage of vessels carrying highly radioactive cargo.*
For additional information on the Pacific Pintail's voyage or it's cargo of plutonium waste, contact Bas Bruyne on the Solo (phone: ++874-1301166--WARNING $10 PER MINUTE), or Karen Richardson at Greenpeace UK (phone: ++44-171-226-3151). Photo, video, or other media requests to Blair Palese at Greenpeace Communications (phone: ++44-171-833-0600).
The Greenpeace legal paper "The Right to Control Passage of Nuclear Transport Vessels Under International Law" is available from Greenpeace International, or via the Internet as a hypertext document. Return to the main home page and access the Multilateral Treaties page or go directly to http://www.greenpeace.org/~intlaw/nuk-law.html
Best regards and No Nukes!
Ulf Birgander (Captain)