From: dyurman@IGC.APC.ORG (Dan Yurman)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.biosph-l
Subject: CIS Attacks GP Ship at Novaya Zemlya
Date: 15 Oct 92 13:19:03 GMT
Reply-To: Dan Yurman <dyurman@IGC.APC.ORG>
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU

NOTE TO READERS OF BIOSPH-L

Last Spring I reported on the dumping of radioactive materials
into the sea in the Arctic ocean around Novaya Zemlya, the
Soviet nuclear test site, and, I also reported the request for
assistance from the Russian Academy of Science in developing
sampling and analysis and site characterization for the surround
land areas.  In particular the CIS scientists were concerned
about migration, transport, and fate of radionuclides from the
dump sites and from the sites whre atmospheric testing of
nuclearweapons had occured over the past four decades.

The following reports indicate that an environmental group -
Greenpeace, has attempted to conduct this kind of sampling in the
Kara sea and tha the boat and crew have been fired on by CIS
warships.  According to the last dispatch the boat is now under
tow to a CIS port.

Note I am not a member of Greenpeace and not affiliated with the
Greenpeace project in any way.  Report follows from Econet.

--------------------------------------------------------
Dan Yurman dyurman@igc.apc.org  dyurman%igc.org@stanford
PO Box 1569 Idaho Falls ID 83403 USA 112W01 43N28 -7 GMT
Chance favors only the prepared mind   --  Louis Pasteur
--------------------------------------------------------



Topic 71        Russian Coastguard Threatens GP Sh
web:greenbase   gp.press        11:56 am  Oct 13, 1992

GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE

RUSSIAN COASTGUARD THREATENS TO FIRE ON GREENPEACE SHIP

KARA SEA October 11, 1992 (GP) The Greenpeace ship, SOLO, was
pursued by a Russian coastguard vessel early this morning as it
crossed the Kara Straits and was warned that shots would be fired
if it refused to stop.

The SOLO, which is on a mission to document submarine nuclear
reactor dumps off the coast of Novaya Zemlya -- the Russian nuclear
testing site -- was chased after entering Russian
territorial waters at 4:55 local time.

Three flares were fired at the SOLO when captain, Albert Kuiken,
refused to alter SOLO's course.

The Russian authorities warned that weapons would be used if the
SOLO did not stop. Captain Kuiken replied that this would cause an
international incident since the SOLO was unarmed and
exercising the right of free passage.

At this point, the SOLO had cleared the Russian territorial waters
of the Straits and had entered international waters.
A Peoples Deputy from the Russian Supreme Soviet, Anatoly
Mostovoy, who is sailing onboard the SOLO, also spoke to the
coastguard vessel. He was warned that criminal charges would be
laid against him.

"Your response is a little serious," Mostovoy responded. "This ship
is not a threat to Russia."

Soon after this exchange, SOLO increased its speed and at 6:45 the
Greenpeace ship was proceeding north towards the dump sites in the
Kara Sea.

The coastguard vessel was still in pursuit but falling behind.
"Novaya Zemlya is a deadly legacy of the nuclear age," Greenpeace
campaigner onboard, John Sprange said. "Some 132 nuclear tests and
15 dumped nuclear reactors there are protected by military secrecy.
The Cold War is now over and the world needs to know the
environmental consequences of the age."

A government sponsored Russian-Norwegian scientific expedition,
which aimed to investigate the extent of radioactive
contamination in the Kara Sea, was also denied access to the dump
sites in September.

Last week, Greenpeace released a report which estimated that the
waters around Novaya Zemlya contained the largest nuclear sea dump
in the world.  The former Soviet navy has been secretly dumping
nuclear submarine reactors there, some still fully-
fuelled,  since the early 1960s.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Elisabeth Mealey -- Greenpeace Communications, London:
44-71-833 0600.
Eleanor O'Hanlon - -Greenpeace Moscow -- 7-095-258 3950, 251 0973,
258 4917.


Topic 72        Russian Coastguard Fires on GP Shi
web:greenbase   gp.press        11:59 am  Oct 13, 1992

GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE

RUSSIAN COASTGUARD FIRES ON GREENPEACE SHIP

KARA SEA October 12, 1992 (GP) A Russian coastguard ship fired
three shots across the stern of a Greenpeace vessel, the MV Solo,
here in the Russian Arctic this morning.

The shots, from a 30mm cannon, were fired across the stern
of the Solo while it was in international waters, in the
Kara Sea.

The Solo had been pursued by the Russian Coastguard vessel
URAL since early Saturday morning on its mission to
document nuclear submarine reactor dumps off the Russian
nuclear test site, Novaya Zemlya.

The URAL also threatened the SOLO with gunfire as it went
through the Kara Straits yesterday morning, but the
Greenpeace vessel entered international waters.

However, early this morning more threats came from the URAL after
the SOLO launched an inflatable in an attempt at the
first independent documentation of radioactivity in the
waters surrounding the Russian Nuclear Test Site.

As the six-member team sped towards the site of a nuclear
attack submarine, dumped in shallow waters in 1982 (1), the URAL
began a 40-minute stream of threats that it would fire on the SOLO,
while another coastguard vessel began pursuing the inflatable.

The first shot was fired as the SOLO caught up with its
inflatable, at 11.02 am.  It was followed in quick
succession by two more shots, despite protests from the
SOLO's captain, ALbert Kuiken, that the vessel was in
international waters.

At 11.30 am the SOLO was boarded by two officers and 10
enlisted men from the URAL.

Greenpeace campaigner John Sprange said it was the first
time that Greenpeace had ever been fired upon.

"All Greenpeace is trying to do is gather information about the
nuclear reactors and submarines which have been dumped
into the ocean around Novaya Zemlya.  We have five Russians on
board -a scientist, a human rights person and three
journalists - all of whom are deeply concerned about the
radioactive nightmare on their doorstep.

"It is simply outrageous that a Russian vessel should fire
on a vessel which is clearly unarmed, and in international
waters.

"It makes us wonder just what the Coastguard and the Military are
trying to defend with their secrecy.  Perhaps they are protecting
their total irresponsibility in dealing with, or at least being
honest about, the submarines such as the one we were trying to
reach this morning," said Sprange.

Greenpeace Executive Director Steve Sawyer said from Amsterdam
today: "Greenpeace ships have been bombed and rammed in the past.
Now we have been fired on. What sort of information could be so
secret that requires the use of military force against unarmed
environmentalists?"

                             ends

For further information please call:

MV SOLO  ++ 873 130 1166
Eleonor O'Hanlon, Greenpeace Moscow:  ++7095 258 3950
Cindy Baxter/Elisbeth Mealey:  Greenpeace Communications
++44 71 833 0600

Photographs:  Reuters
Video pictures:  Visnews

Notes to Editors

(1)  The submarine, the K-27 was a modified November attack
submarine with a liquid metal cooled reactor which suffered a
coolant freeze on its maiden voyage in 1964. In July 1965
controls to the diving plans were wrecked. Over the next two months
the K-27 suffered a string of five accidents, which
included two incidents of spontaneous ignition of the
regeneration plate, leaks in the hull, fire in the seventh
section and five times normal level of radiation in the reactor
compartment.

On 24 May 1968 the reactor coolant froze again. It is claimed the
submarine is sunk off Novaya Zemlya, though the CIA claim the
vessel sunk off Severomorsk in the Kolskiy Zaliv estuary with the
loss of all hands, and was eventually raised.  However, other
information from Russian sources shows it was dumped at the
Stepovov Gulf in 1982.


Topic 73        GP Ship Arrested in Kara Sea
web:greenbase   gp.press        12:00 pm  Oct 13, 1992

GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE

GREENPEACE SHIP ARRESTED IN KARA SEA

KARA SEA, RUSSIA October 12, 1992 (GP) The Greenpeace ship, SOLO,
which is in international waters, has been placed under "official
arrest" by the Russian coastguards who boarded it this morning in
the Kara Sea.

Details of charges against the Greenpeace crew have not yet been
divulged. The SOLO's radio room and engine room have been sealed
and both engines have been shut down.

It is believed that the coastguard will attempt to tow the SOLO
away from the area.

Earlier today, the Russian coastguard vessel, URAL, fired three
shots over the stern of the SOLO following warnings to stop.
The twelve Russian coastguardsmen, ten of whom are armed with
submachine guns, told the SOLO's Captain, Albert Kuiken, that they
wanted to search the ship. They ordered the engines to be shut down
and outside communications to be cut off.

The SOLO is in the Kara Sea on a mission to document nuclear
submarine reactor dumps off the Russian nuclear test site of Novaya
Zemlya. Earlier today, an inflatable with six Greenpeace crew, left
the SOLO in an attempt to document radioactivity  at the site of an
attack submarine dumped in shallow waters in 1982.

The SOLO is currently about 25 miles (32 kilometres) off the coast
of Novaya Zemlya, in international waters (1).

"The arrest is another attempt by the Russian military to prevent
open information about one of the biggest nuclear waste dumps in
the world" said Greenpeace disarmament campaigner, Gerd Leipold
from Moscow. "Radioactivity doesn't go away if you hide it."
Mr Leipold is now making official contact with the Russian
authorities in Moscow.  He has already spoken to the Dutch
Embassy there to register Greenpeace's concern (the SOLO is a
Dutch-registered ship).

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Cindy Baxter/ Elisabeth Mealey - Greenpeace Communications:
44-71-8330600.
Eleonor O'Hanlon/Gerd Leipold - Greenpeace Moscow:
7-095-258 3950.

PLEASE NOTE:
Video Pictures available from Visnews and WTN
Photographs available from AP and Reuters (by 16:00 GMT).


Notes to Editors:

(1) The exact location of the ship shortly after the coastguards
boarded:
Latitude:  7227.4N
Longitude: 05658.9E

(2) 4.45 pm local time: text of final telex from SOLO:

TO ALL

COAST GUARD NOW ACTIVE WITH SEARCH. ENGINES ARE SHUT DOWN. AT THIS
VERY MOMENT THEY ENTER RADIO ROOM, PROBABLY WITH THE
INTENTION TO CUT OFF COMMUNICATIONS ASAP. THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST
MESSAGE.

SOLO CREW.


Topic 80        GP Ship Towed to Murmansk
web:greenbase   gp.press         3:35 am  Oct 14, 1992

GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE

GREENPEACE SHIP BEING TOWED TO MURMANSK AMIDST
INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR ITS RELEASE

MOSCOW October 13, 1992, 3.30 pm BST (GP) The Greenpeace ship SOLO,
arrested and shot at by the Russian Coastguard yesterday, is being
towed to Murmansk, in the Barents Sea, Greenpeace said today.

Meanwhile,  the Dutch Foreign Ministry has asked Russian
authorities to release the Dutch-flagged SOLO and its crew.  It
said in a Ministry press statement that Greenpeace should have the
opportunity to gather information on the nuclear dump in the Kara
Sea.

The Dutch embassy in Moscow has asked the authorities to clarify
why it is towing a ship sailing under a Dutch flag.  It is
considering sending a representative to Murmansk to investigate.

The SOLO is expected to reach Murmansk on Friday 16 October.  The
ship is supposed to be detained, not arrested, authorities have
told Greenpeace here in Moscow. The decision about possible charges
against Greenpeace will be made in Murmansk.

The SOLO was "arrested" in the Kara Sea yesterday after the
coastguard had fired three shots across the stern of the vessel.
Twelve armed coastguard then boarded the vessel.  There has been no
communication from the boat since late yesterday. It is
understood that the radio and communications room on the boat has
been locked.

Days before it reached the Kara Sea, Greenpeace released
information showing that the waters around the Russian Nuclear Test
Site Novaya Zemlya contained the largest nuclear waste dump in the
world.  The expedition was to document some of the
radioactivity around the site.

Greenpeace is calling on the Russian authorities to release the
SOLO, its crew, and to re-connect communications.  It is also
asking embassies of crew members to make representations to the
Russian authorities.

"Greenpeace has a legitimate right to document the dumping of the
nuclear waste around Novaya Zemlya.  What we were doing in the Kara
sea is in the interest of both the Russian and world public.  The
Russian military is withholding information from its own people,"
said Gerd Leipold of Greenpeace.

Dr Leipold said that according to the London Dumping Convention of
1972, of which Russia is a party, the dumping of high-level nuclear
waste has always been forbidden, and the dumping of low-level waste
forbidden after 1983.

In both cases the country dumping waste had to inform the LDC of
dumping operations.

"The former Soviet Government and now the Russian Government has
not fulfilled its obligation under the LDC.  The Soviet
delegation at last year's LDC meeting acknowledged that if
dumping had taken place it would have been illegal under both
international and Soviet law," he said.

                             ends

For further information please call:

Gerd Leipold, Greenpeace Moscow:  ++7095 258 3950
Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace Communications:  ++44 71 833 0600
                                or (home) ++44 71 226 9250
Paul Johnston, Greenpeace scientist:        44 392 263 917

END END END
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