From: Greenpeace Vessel SV Rainbow Warrior Date: Wednesday 5-JUL-95 07:52:38 GMT Subject: Press Release

FRENCH WARSHIP TAILS RAINBOW WARRIOR AS IT NEARS MORUROA

Pacific Ocean, 2200 hours local time, Wednesday July 5:- A French warship today began tailing the Rainbow Warrior as the ship sailed toward the French nuclear test site at Moruroa atoll.

The French warship, which is monitoring the Rainbow Warrior from a distance of around 12 miles, first appeared on radar at 0400 am local time. It has stayed continuously on the horizon since then and is now following the Rainbow Warrior at a range of 9.3 miles.

Greenpeace's Stephanie Mills said French surveillance of the Rainbow Warrior would not deter Greenpeace from its protest mission to Moruroa.

"The threat of force and military surveillance will not stop us from undertaking non-violent action to prevent a resumption of nuclear testing at Moruroa," she said. "France may make a show of its military might, but this cannot stop the force of world opinion which is so clearly opposed to further nuclear testing."

The Greenpeace crew today visited the atoll of Hereheretue, midway between Tahiti and Moruroa, at the invitation of the local people. The remote atoll, which has a population of around 20 people and is visited only once a month by ship, was visited by the Rainbow Warrior in 1992 on a previous voyage to Moruroa. At an outdoor meal of traditional Polynesian food, the chief of the village endorsed Greenpeace's mission to Moruroa.

The Rainbow Warrior is now under sail toward Moruroa and is expected to arrive near the 12 mile zone within the next 72 hours.

ENDS

Further information: Stephanie Mills, Jean-Luc Thierry, Steve Sawyer on board the Rainbow Warrior +872 1300312
Cindy Baxter, Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications, London +44 171 833 0600
Further information from the Greenpeace home page on the Internet: http:/www.greenpeace.org/