PARIS, 26 July, 1995 -- Greenpeace has filed suit in Paris this week with France's Supreme Court (Conseil d'Etat) against French President Chirac's decision to resume nuclear testing in French Polynesia.
The legal action was taken by attorney Maitre Jean-Jacques de Felice, on behalf of Greenpeace France, calling for the Supreme Court to consider whether President Chirac's decision to resume nuclear testing is actually legal under French law.
Greenpeace's case states that President Chirac has ignored several key principles contained in the Law of 2nd February 1995 Regarding the Reinforcement of Environmental Protection*. In particular the Precautionary Principle*, the Principle of Preventive Action*, and the obligation to consult with the public and environmental organizations before adopting decisions that can seriously affect the environment.
"Recent public opinion polls in France have shown that the French public does not understand why the decision to resume nuclear testing was taken so quickly and with no consultation by President Chirac," said Greenpeace-France's President Remi Parmentier. "Our recourse at the Conseil d'Etat is the last chance to create a full public debate before it is too late."
At a press conference in Paris at the Press Club 11 avenue d'Iena, Greenpeace and Maitre Jean-Jacques de Felice will present information on their legal action in Conseil d'Etat. They will call upon President Chirac to halt nuclear testing until the case can be legally decided by the French Supreme Court.
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WHEN: THURSDAY, 27 JULY, AT 10.00 AM.
WHERE: IN PARIS, AT THE PRESS CLUB, 11 AVENUE D'IENA, METRO IENA.
Editor's note:
1. The Law Regarding the Reinforcement of Environmental Protection was passed by the French National Assembly in February 1995. This law requires the French government to consult with the public and environmental NGOs before making decision that may seriously affect the environment. It also requires the French Government to apply a number of principles, including the Precautionary Principle, and the Principle of Preventive Action.
2. The Precautionary Principal states that the absence of certainty, taking into account current scientific and technical knowledge, must not delay the adoption of effective measures to prevent the risk of serious and irreversible damage to the environment at an acceptable cost.
3. The Principle of Preventive Action states that - with priority at th source - damage to the environment must be avoided by the use of the best available techniques.
4. The Greenpeace legal case demonstrates that non of the scientific missions sent at Moruroa with the permission of the French Government were able to prove that the underground nuclear tests were safe. Instead, the all pointed out to a number of scientific uncertainties, especially in connection with long term effects.