1-10-2002

Greenpeace Challenges French Yacht

Auckland 1 October 2002: Greenpeace activists in kayaks protested nuclear
company Areva’s involvement in the America’s Cup as DefiAreva left the
Viaduct Basin today.

Twelve kayaks created a ‘guard of shame’ and flew banners saying “Keep the
cup nuclear-free’ as the French boat left the entrance of the Viaduct Basin
to compete in first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup. “The arrogance of such a
dangerous and dirty industry thinking that they can come to nuclear free
New Zealand and use this event to promote their business can not go
unchallenged,” said Bunny McDiarmid, Greenpeace spokesperson. “People can
put their heads in the sand and pretend Areva is just another sponsor or
they can take some responsibility to make sure that the nuclear industry
knows that they are not welcome here. This could be as simple as flying a
nuclear-free pennant while watching the race,” she said.

It is an Areva company that discharges nuclear waste into the ocean on a
daily basis, and it was the same company that shipped plutonium through our
region last year despite our Government’s opposition. Areva is also
intimately connected with the development of the French nuclear weapons
programme through its majority shareholder, the French Atomic Energy
Commission.

Contact: Bunny McDiarmid, mob: (0)21 838183 Brendan Lynch, mob: (0)21 790817