Posted
24th August 2001
NZ Nuclear Free Extension Zone Bill
The NZ Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill is likely to be stopped
in its tracks next week. On 30 or 31 August the Select Committee
on Foreign Affairs and Trade will report back to parliament
on the Bill. Anticipated that their recommendation to parliament
will be that the Bill proceeds no further.
Acting
on this alert looks likely to be the last chance you will have
to influence the progress of this legislation - it is not only
important for the wellbeing of this country, but would set an
extremely useful example for other governments in the Pacific
and around the world to follow. It is a practical challenge
to the arrogant former and current colonial powers who inflict
their nuclear weapons on all the peoples of the world, whether
we want them or not; and to those who insist on transporting
their nuclear waste without regard for the possible consequences.
1)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In
June 2000, the Green party put forward the NZ Nuclear Free Zone
Extension Bill. The aim of the Bill is to extend the NZ nuclear
free zone from its current limit which is to the edge of the
territorial waters, 12 miles from the coast. The extension would
prohibit the transport and transit of high level nuclear waste,
nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered vessels within the 200 mile
Exclusive Economic Zone.
The
current Labour-Alliance coalition government made it clear from
the start that they would not support the Bill, but it survived
the first reading by 67 to 53 votes on 5 July 2000. The Bill
was sent to the Foreign Affairs and Trade Select Committee for
public submissions to be made. Submissions were made by a number
of peace, disarmament, environment and other groups supportive
of the Bill; and individuals such as Judge Christopher Weeramantry,
one of International Court of Justice judges who heard the case
regarding the illegality of nuclear weapons.
Various
government spokespeople had said that they would not support
the Bill because it breached UNCLOS (the Law of the Sea), in
particular the 'right of innocent passage'. Most of the submissions
supporting the Bill touched on this matter and other aspects
of international law. In relation specifically to nuclear weapons,
the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice provided
the basis for the counter argument that nuclear weapons deployment
on ships or submarines could hardly be described as 'innocent'.
In
relation to nuclear weapons, nuclear waste shipments and nuclear
propelled vessels, there is a counter argument that UNCLOS itself
has contradictions - on the one hand the 'right of innocent
passage', on the other the sovereign right of "the protection
and preservation of the marine environment" [UNCLOS Part V,
56.1(iii)]. When taken together with other provisions in international
conventions and declarations which give sovereign states the
right to protect their environment (in particular Principle
15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development),
then it is clear that the contradiction within UNCLOS could
be resolved in favour of protection of our marine resources.
However,
it was clear while making the submissions to the Select Committee
that the opinion which would matter most was that put forward
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - and they say
passing the Bill is in breach of UNCLOS. Presumably they also
have other points, such as the possible reactions from the governments
of the US, France (who the NZ government is developing an unhealthy
military relationship with, see for example the PMA and PCRC
alerts at www.converge.org.nz/pma/nf rewar.htmwww.converge.org.nz/pma/nf rench.htm,
Britain and Japan. However, as Ministry briefings are not covered
by the Official Information Act, people such as ourselves are
not permitted to view them until after the Select Committee
report goes to parliament! Such is democracy in this country.
In
addition, members of the Select Committee seemed concerned that
there might be 'repercussions' if this Bill is passed - interesting
given that the Chilean government (as one example) sent warships
to order ships carrying nuclear waste not to cross into their
Exclusive Economic Zone, and there were no repercussions for
that rather more directly threatening action!
2)
WHAT YOU CAN DO
There
are three sections to this: a) for people living in Aotearoa;
b) for people living overseas; c) mass media contacts for everyone
to use.
a) For people living in Aotearoa:
2)
WHAT YOU CAN DO There are three sections to this: a) for people
living in Aotearoa; b) for people living overseas; c) mass media
contacts for everyone to use. a) For people living in Aotearoa:
Contact details for politicians: * Phone calls and faxes (these
numbers to be prefixed by 04 by people outside Wellington) -
Helen Clark, Prime Minister, office - tel 471 9998, fax 473
3579; Jim Anderton, Deputy Prime Minister, office - tel 471
9011, fax 495 8441; Matt Robson, Minister for Disarmament and
Arms Control, office - tel 470 6659, fax 495 8462; The Cabinet
(collectively), office - tel 471 9743, fax 472 6332.
~
Letters - all letters should be addressed to the relevant person
and posted (no stamp needed) to Parliament Buildings, Wellington.
Please
also send a copy of your correspondence and of any replies to
PMA for our files.
)
For people living outside Aotearoa/NZ:
please fax Helen Clark (Prime Minister), Jim Anderton (Deputy
Prime Minister), Matt Robson (Minister for Disarmament and Arms
Control) and the Cabinet of the NZ government urging them not
to accept the recommendation of the Select Committee (if the
recommendation is to drop the Bill) but rather to support the
Bill having its second and third readings and being passed into
law. You could also tell them how appreciative you are of the
NZ government's stated position on nuclear disarmament (and
how disappointed you will be should this prove to be a sham!).
Any words of encouragement along the lines of putting their
words into action would be useful.
It
is especially important that you make your views known before
Monday 27 August, the last Cabinet meeting before the Select
Committee presents its report. Contact details for politicians:
* Phone calls and faxes (these numbers to be prefixed by + 64
4 for those outside Aotearoa/NZ ) - Helen Clark, Prime Minister,
office - tel 471 9998, fax 473 3579; Jim Anderton, Deputy Prime
Minister, office - tel 471 9011, fax 495 8441; Matt Robson,
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, office - tel 470
6659, fax 495 8462; The Cabinet (collectively), office - tel
471 9743, fax 472 6332.
Please also send a copy of your correspondence and of any replies
to PMA for our files. c) Contact details for mass media: (for
those receiving this overseas, drop the '0' in the brackets,
add +64 in front of the second digit) Christchurch Press, fax
(03) 364 8492, editor@evpost.co.nz; New Zealand Herald,
fax (09) 373 6434, editor@listener.co.nz
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