Responding to
Gordon Brown's speech today laying out the government's roadmap to the 2010
nuclear non-proliferation conference Greenpeace UK disarmament campaigner Louise
Edge said:
"We welcome the fact that the Labour government is finally
making some positive noises towards eliminating nuclear weapons - which remain
one of the most serious threats facing mankind.
"However there is a fatal
flaw at the heart of Gordon Brown's nuclear proposal. The fact is 90 per cent of nuclear
technology and materials are dual use, so can be used to create both nuclear
power and nuclear weapons. You simply can't spread nuclear power without
spreading nuclear weapons technology.
"And an international nuclear fuel
bank would mean a massive increase in the transportation of nuclear materials by
air, land and sea - leaving them open to attacks by terrorists and to
radioactive materials being stolen and made into dirty bombs.
"Gordon
Brown's nuclear obsession will damage not only the UK's renewable
energy policy but international security. Safe, clean renewable technology
exists today and could be rolled out globally to help power a more peaceful
world."
ENDS
Greenpeace Press Office - 020 7865 8255
Nuclear non-proliferation announcement - Greenpeace response
16 July, 2009
Article tagged as: disarmament, non-proliferation, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, peace