LL:PR: Aust should Follow NZ Example on N-Weapons

[FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign]

AUST SHOULD FOLLOW NZ EXAMPLE ON N-WEAPONS

In response to remarks by Prime minister Howard yesterday that Australia
should recognize there were 'differences' between Australia and NZ over
foreign policy, the Australian Peace Committee and Friends of the Earth
have called on the Australian government to follow the New Zealand example
over nuclear weapons policy, and vigorously pursue the fulfillment of the
obligations set out in the nuclear nonproliferation treaty at the upcoming
nuclear nonproliferation treaty review conference, April 24-May19th.

According to APC's Irene Gale and Friends of the Earth's John Hallam,
"The fact is that New Zealand is simply pursuing the policies that the
majority of Australians would also prefer to pursue: Policies that align it
with the majority of countries in the world that consider that the
obligations imposed on the nuclear weapons states since 1970 by Article VI
of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty ought to be honored. It is Australia
not New Zealand that is the odd one out, and New Zealand that has shown
leadership.

"The upcoming review conference of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty is
going to be difficult. It will be difficult because the nuclear weapon
states have for thirty years ignored the clear legal obligations imposed on
them by the NPT. The Australian government is now talking about 'damage
control' at the upcoming conference, but the only kind of 'damage control'
that is ever going to work in the longer term is for the nuclear weapons
states to fulfill their article VI obligations. Australia has for a number
of years refused to align itself with New Zealand and with the overwhelming
majority of the worlds nations, who think that the weapons states need to
be pressed very strongly indeed to fulfill their obligations under article
VI to eliminate their nuclear arsenals. This failure has been underlined by
the secretary General Kofi Annan on his recent visit, when he spoke of the
the 'discouraging list of nuclear disarmament measures in suspense,
negotiations not initiated and opportunities not taken'."

"New Zealand has shown precisely the leadership and commonsense on the
nuclear weapons issue that Australia should have shown. Australia should
work closely with New Zealand to produce a truly productive outcome at the
upcoming NPT Review Conference."

John Hallam 02-9517-3903 h02-9810-2598
Irene Gale 08-8364-2291





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