PRESS RELEASE
Keep Space for Peace: Party on the Moor
Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June 2002
11 June 2002:
for immediate use
Six
months ago, on 13 December 2002, President Bush announced his country's
withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, to take effect on 13th
June 2002.
The following day,
work will begin on the construction of underground silos in Alaska for
missile inceptors and associated communications systems, thus heralding
the start of the US's highly controversial National Missile Defence (NMD)
programme.
Withdrawal from the
ABM Treaty will give the military the freedom to explore the use of advanced
radar technologies which will be required for very early warning of any
missile launch, anywhere in the world. These technologies will also give
the US the capability to launch a pre-emptive 'first strike' as outlined
in the US's new strategic doctrine this week.
Fylingdales early
warning radar station on the north Yorkshire Moor is likely to be drawn
into a deployed missile defence system and will need major upgrading work.
The UK Government has persistently refused any comment on Fylingdales'
potential role in NMD or space-based weapons.
British CND, in co-operation
with Yorkshire CND and the Fylingdales Action Network (FAN), believe this
issue is of major public concern and one which the government can no longer
pretend that it has nothing to do with them. Missile Defence is planned
with global military reach in mind, which is why US Space Command calls
it 'Full Spectrum Dominance'.
CND Chair
Carol Naughton, CND Vice-President Bruce Kent and Yorkshire CND Dave Webb
will address a public meeting in Whitby on Friday evening 14th June. Chris
Dove will speak for FAN and local activist Keith Mollison will chair the
meeting.
At 09.00
hrs the following morning, they will lead protesters on a 10 mile walk
from Whitby to a Party on the Moor at 13.00 hrs at Eller Beck near the
Flyingdales radar station.
Afterwards,
at 14.00 hrs, there will be a short march up to the front gate of the
US-run base for a demonstration and the handing-in of a letter of protest
against missile defence and the militarisation of space.
Further
details from:
British CND Nigel Chamberlain 020 7700 2350 or 07968 420859
Yorkshire CND Neil Kingsnorth 01274 730795
Fylingdales Action Network Jackie Fearnley 01947 896481
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