23 AGENDA d'EM No. c-.-rC- cpz, .--*-a-a-. Counc-illor Louise Fyfe IGlasgow District Council City Chambers GLASGOW G2 1DU 12 September 1995 Dear CL!kXy&Q NUCLEAR TESTING I recently attended the International Union of Local Authorities Congress (3-7 September) in the Hague where 90 countries were represented by 1,500 delegates. The Steering Committee of Nuclear Free Local Authorities organised an emergency meeting to gain support for a resolution submitted by IULA's Area - Pacific Region, Local Authorities to oppose nuclear testing. L The following statement was later agreed unanimously by the IULA Council. 'Local governments and their citizens in all the IULA Regional Sections call upon all nations to cease and desist from any nuclear testing and they further encourage all nations to continue the process of nuclear disarmament and destruction of nuclear weapons. They make this plea because of their concern for the well-being of the peoples and the environment and because they want to discourage all nations from resuming the nuclear arms race'. I am encouraging all local authorities to take action to protest in the strongest possible terms against all nuclear testing, and to adopt similar resolutions. This is particularly important as the present Government have failed to speak out on this issue. I have enclosed our briefing paper for Councillors produced at the end of July. I would also like to invite your New Authority to use this opportunity to make a commitment to join the Nuclear Free Local Authority movement and help work towards a nuclear free world. Nuclear Free Local Authorities would welcome an early indication of support. Yours sincerely V Louise&# Fyfe .. Chair - Nuclear Free I ocal Authorltles Stwrlncl CO~UUJS For more details see enclosed leaflet 25 As a Nuclear Free Local Authority the Council should be setting an example to others. 8 Nuclear weapon testing is an abuse of the environment. The Council can hardly pursue a policy promoting environmental protection local but disregard international practices whic'h destroy the environment. * Nuclear Testing threatens international security. The Chinese and French decisions to disregard their undertakings to the NNPT Conference diminishes the authority of the Treaty and encourages ofhcrs to @ore their interriatioiial oblipriolu. It is (he route 10 infeniafiotiali)iseciiri fy arid iricreascs die likelihood that other Sfdeswii! allenipt to aquire riticlear weapons. Reactions International - the South Pacific Forum (15 States), the US, Japan, Russia have condemned the French decision to resume testing. Japan has strongly condemned all recent Chinese tests. At a recent EU Foreign Ministers' meeting, 7 (not including UK) of the 15 member States condemned France. Two days after the French announcement, the EU Parliament ovenvhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the resumption of Nuclear Testing. TheGovernment sees no reason why Chinese or French Nuclear Testing should prejudice the conclusion of a CTBT by the end of 1996 (although the Environment Secretary, John Gummer, has said, in his view, the French have not made a convincing case for more tests). A number of Conservative MPs have backed EDM 1250 attached as Annex A The Labour Party has condemed French testing and a copy of the Statement issued by the Shadow Foreign Affairs spokesman is attached as Annex B. The 15 Socialist Leaders in the EU (inc. Tony Blair and the French Socialists) issued a statement from their meeting in Cannes (end June) calling on President Chirac to reverse his decision. About 100 Labour MPs (precise figure unclear at the time of writing) have backed the EDM 1248 attached as Annex A. The Liberal Democrats have not made an official statement but existing Party policy is: " Western rtucieor powers need to demonstrate by actions, riot just words, that they see no value iri corr firtuirig rruclear weaport developmertt prograntmes if fheyare to coirviiice noit rriicleur couritries 10 commit themselves to no jitrrre rnicleor testirig" .(Shared Seaiivp23) The SNP recently issued the policy statement attached at Annex C. Plaid Cymru have not issued a formal policy statement at the time of writing, but by telephone to the NSC Secretary, the Plaid Cymru Chief Executive descibed the Party as being "totally opposed" to any nuclear weapon testing. ***** Contact Officer: Stewart Kemp 0161 234 3324 24 July 1995 26 / 5266 Sotices of >lotions: 28th June 1995 No. 127 // 125 VALUE ADDED TAXcs I, NY~. ,vu IW, 14:6:95 ,/' Mr Tony Blair Mr John Prtscotl Mr Gordon Brown Mr Andrew Smith Dawn Primarolo ,Mr Alistair Darling * 19 v Mr George Mudie That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Value Added Tax (Tour Operators) (Amendment)Order 1995 (S.I.. 1995, No. 1495). dated 9th June 1995, a copy of which was laid before this House on 9th June, be annulled. 1248 FRENCH NUCLEAR WEAPO'VS TESTS 14:695 Mr Harry Cohen Ann Clwyd AIice Mahon Mr Tom Cox Mr Jim Cousins L Mr Chris Mullin * 97 Mr Norman Hogg Mr Nick Ainger Mr Cynog Dafit That this House deplores the decision of the Government of France to resume testing nuclear weapons in the South Pacific; notes the universal hostility to that decision by the countries in that area. who form a voluntary nuclear-free zone; considers that the safety of the weapons excuse proAered by France for resuming the tests is lame because there are plenty of computer simulations of nuclear explosions available, and the same argument could be used by any nuclear state following the introduction of a comprehensive nucltar test ban treaty thereby destroying such a treaty; further notes that these proposed tests run contrary to the obligations entered into by nuclear weapons states at the rccmt Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty conference; further notes that the response from No. 10 Downing Street to the announcement of these tests was a pathetic absence of any criticism whatsoever; and so this House urges the French Government to change its mind and abandon these deplorable nuclear weapons tests. 120 FRENCH NUCLEAR E.YPLOSIO,VS 14:6:% Sir Teddy Taylor Lynne Jones Mr John Evans Mr Elfyn Llwyd Mr Harold Elletson Mt Alex Carlile * 20 Mr Jamts Wallace Mr Lawrence Cunlifk Mr Peter L. Pike That this House, being conscious of the long standing friendship and co-operation between the United Kingdom and Frana, respectfully suggests to the French Government that instead of causing anger and concern throughout the South Pacific with a rather pointless nuclear test. it would be better advised to consider the implications of the political nuclear explosion of the sharp rise in the support of right wing extremist groups in France which appear to be Fascist in nature. .- * The figure following rhu sjmbol gives rhc rota1 number of names of Members appended,indlrding those na~~ odded in this edition o/rhc Notices of Motions. .,I' PRESS RELEASE FROM ROBIN COOK MP SHADOW FOREIGN SECRETARY 23rdJune 1995 For Immediate Release . .' , 'I LABOUR DEMANDS PLEDGE ON NUCLEAR TESTS Shadow Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, has today writrcn to Douglas Hurd to urge him to protest at rhe decision of the French government to resume nuclear testing and to seck an assurance rhat there wil1 be no further UK tests, The text of his letter reads as follows; I am m'h'ng to you & 0Xprcs.c my deepcsi concm ut tlae decision tahn by Pzuanr Ciiirac 10 resume tiucleat usring 6y Eame in the South Pac$ic. Not only would firther niiclear wsu be irnjtrst$'td ou technical grounds, lhqr woirrci mukc a mockery of ;he commitment accepted by all mclear weapom stQtcs at the Non-Prvlgeranbn ?ieary Exknsion Confmcncc ody htmonth to 'exere& utmost resrtaint'p4ndijrg the cnhy into fmce of a comprehensive rzrrckar test ban. I urge ycu to make the strongest possible rtpesentationr to Prudent Chirac and rhr French government in an effort to pentrade them LO change hit mid. Out Gomrnanweaith pattnm in the region Iuve evety ?fg?atto Wsctus lo coradimn thr Frcncli government's decision, not least bccPusc they playad an impottanr rob in helpirtg to secure an id8finiu crxtrtuion of the NPTand now feel a deep s~nseof bebaM. Can f aiw ask you, in view of recent iridircrtions rht the US gavrntmsnt ti do Eonsuidmitg U resumption of nrrclcot esring, fm an assumwe that th Unirsd Kingdom wiz nor conduct any ftirthcr mu?I feel that such an annourwment is esscntirrl if we wtjh to encourage restraint ly others. For further information contact David Clark on 0171 219 4941 or Annr Hdyon 0171 219 6958. Labou , _._.....- _... -1 ..,....-.._..._. a...,..._.._-. _. .. ... , . .. - . Sunday-16 July 1995 - For lmmedlate Release SNP News Releasi > CI' r C- t* Today [Sunday], the Scottlsh National Party's Deputy Leader Dr ev took part In a vigil at St Stephen's Church In Edlnbur h's Stockbword%! mark the flftieth annlversary of the first atomla explos on. At exaotl 1130prn - the time of the explosion In the New Mexico desert - churchesB across Scot Yand rang their bells fifty tlmes, once for each year ofthe nuclear age. At the vlgll, Or Macartney drew attention to the fact that the SNP were now the only non- nuclear party In Scotland, and also strongly condemned the French nuclear tests In the South Pacific. Dr Macartney sald: "Fifty years ago today, a gmat evil was unleashed on the world. In the years slnce, a fantastic amount of resource6 and sclenflflc falent have been wasted In developing the nucleer monster. "If the same amount of money and skills had instead heri dedoted to tackling the scourges of dlsease, famine and poverly, we would now be llvlng In a much safer, more 0 stable and happier world.