US To Resume Nuke Test

[Vernon Brechin <vbrechin@igc.org>]

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/* Written 4:54 PM Nov 2, 1995 by web:greenbas in 
igc:gp.press */
/* ---------- "11/02 US To Resume Nuke Tests" ---------- */
 ************************
 GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> US DECISION TO RESUME "NUCLEAR WEAPON EXPERIMENTS" 
DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE, GREENPEACE SAYS

AUCKLAND, 2 November 1995 (GP) Greenpeace today condemned 
as reckless and irresponsible a US announcement that six 
underground tests involving nuclear materials will take 
place at its Nevada nuclear test site in 1996 and 1997.

The first test, "REBOUND" is scheduled for June 18, 1996, 
according to the US Department of Energy.

The tests will most likely be so-called "hydronuclear" 
tests, involving explosions of high explosive and nuclear 
materials such as plutonium. Such tests are claimed to 
have no nuclear yield, as no nuclear chain reaction is 
initiated, but in fact can produce a small fission yield; 
they are called "zero yield" only if their nuclear yield 
does not exceed their high explosive yield.

"This test will do more than rebound, it will be a 
disaster for international hopes for a comprehensive test 
ban treaty," Greenpeace Stephanie Mills said. "Following 
on from France's decision to resume nuclear testing, the 
US announcement could be a death knell for the test ban 
talks reaching conclusion early next year."

The Department of Energy argues that the tests are 
necessary to keep ageing nuclear weapons safe and to 
ensure the Nevada Test Site is ready to return to full 
underground tests at any time.

"The only safe nuclear weapon is a dismantled one," 
Stephanie Mills said. "Greenpeace wants to see a 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty close nuclear test sites 
forever, not leave a trail of loopholes for the nuclear 
weapon states to continue to proliferate new nuclear 
weapons indefinitely."

Hydronuclear tests could prove attractive to states 
wanting to develop secret nuclear weapons programmes, 
according to nuclear scientists, because they could 
provide confidence in otherwise untested weapons.

"A test ban treaty that allows hydronuclear tests will not 
effectively stop nuclear proliferation and will permit the 
existing nuclear weapon states to maintain and build their 
nuclear arsenals. The behaviour of the US, France and 
China on the testing issue has betrayed the trust of non-
nuclear nations and undermined the Non-Proliferation 
Treaty," Mills said. President Clinton must rein in the 
Department of Energy now, and pledge his commitment to a 
truly zero test ban treaty."

Mills said the New Zealand Government must call in the US 
terms and call for the tests to be cancelled.

ENDS
Note to Editors: The Department of Energy press release 
and fact sheets detailing the announcement is available 
from Greenpeace.
Contact: Stephanie Mills or Michael Szabo, +09 3776 128 
or 025-790817.

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Question: What will be the fate of the plutonium-239 
 ladened debris resulting from these 
 experiments?
 Vernon J. Brechin
 vbrechin@igc.org

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