The US Government’s decision to send a warship to New Zealand is a huge victory for people power, Greenpeace said today.
“Thirty years ago New Zealanders drew a line in the sand. We said ‘we are nuclear free’, and if a country wants to send a warship here it must be free of nuclear weapons and not nuclear powered,” says Dr Russel Norman, Executive Director of Greenpeace NZ.
“The US balked at this, but for 33 years we’ve stood our ground. Now they’re sending a ship here – on our terms.
“New Zealanders should be immensely proud. We stood up to the mightiest military power on earth, not to mention a traditional ally. And we won.
“Regardless of what you think of the US navy, or other navies, this is an historic victory for people power.”
Dr Norman said an anti-nuclear position was as relevant as ever, in a world still overshadowed by the potential for nuclear war.
Greenpeace has been campaigning for a nuclear free world for over 30 years.
ENDS