From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #226 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Sunday, November 21 1999 Volume 01 : Number 226 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 15:13:48 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) Yahoo, Bennett, *BOTH* got EUROPARL Resolution Wrong! (Did Yahoo mislead Bennett?) John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, Fax(61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html Dear All, Both Yahoo News and Senator Bennett have misinterpreted the Y2K resolution in the EP, and it's clear enough I think, that Bennet has simply taken the Yahoo account of the resolution and not looked at the text. Given that he is chair of the Senate Y2K committee this is pretty bad. Whether there is anything wilful and/or perverse about Benetts misinterpretation - (he has clearly taken a misinterpretation that suits his purpose) - is another question. But note the following: The Yahoo account of the resolution says that the EP deputies voted to 'Shut down nuclear weapon alert systems' over the Y2K rollover. If the deputies had done that then they would indeed have taken leave of their senses. That is NOT what the resolution said! It's precisely because Y2K problems may do exactly that or else provide false alarms that the EP has asked and we ask, to de- alert weapons systems. That is, to place them in a status in which immediate launch is not possible, whether by altering firing circuits, pinning open switches, reprogramming, removing batteries, switching of gyros or whatever. Needless to say they didn't, and there is no way that the phrase 'de-Alerting' in the EP Y2K resolution can possibly be taken to mean anything other than to do the same as the UK has done, namely to move the 'notice to fire' from monutes to days, so that an immediate retaliation to a most likely nonexistent attack is simply not possible. That amounts (for Alan Philips benefit) to a renunciation of 'launch on Warning'. It certainly makes LOW impossible. I have included below 1)The YAHOO account of the resolution 2)Bennetts riposte 3)The FOE Sydney release and the text of the resolution, as already posted. Do read all of them and you'll see that while there is no foundation in the text of the resolution for Bennets comments, there is in the Yahoo account. Lesson (esp for those who used the Yahoo account and didn't wait for the text which I posted as soon as I knew that the resolution had in fact actually passed - reasonable caution) - don't trust secondary sources such as YAHOO, or at least prefer the original text of the resolution! If anyone would like to write to Bennett and point out his error, please do so. His fax number is 1-202-224-4908. I'll be writing myself with one or two others. 1)YAHOO ACCOUNT OF THE RESOLUTION - Note error between **. >Euro Deputies Warn Y2K Could Cause Atomic Disaster > >http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991118/tc/europe_nuclear_1.html > >STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European Parliament voted Thursday to ask >countries to *shut down their nuclear weapon alert systems* over New Year to >avoid accidental launches caused by the millennium bug computer problem. > >Deputies said they would appeal to the United States and Russia in >particular to guard against possible errors in computer systems that cannot >recognize the date change to 2000. > >U.S. and Russian military officials are due to spend New Year's Eve together >in a special command center designed to avoid accidents caused by the >millennium bug. > >The parliament voted to ask countries with nuclear power stations to shut >them down over New Year's Eve unless they had been shown to be millennium >compliant. > >Deputies said their appeal would be aimed specifically at countries in >central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, Russia and members of the former Soviet >Union. 2) BENNET RIPOSTE [Copied from the Bennet webpage, typos mine] BENNETT TROUBLED BY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTE TO SHUT DOWN NUCLEAR WARNING SYSTEMS FOR Y2K WASHINGTON, DC: US Senator Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah) Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the year 2000 Technology Problem, today said he was troubled by a vote in the European Parliament to reccommend that countries shut down nuclear weapon alert systems over the millenium date change due to fears of accidental, Y2K- induced ballistic missile launches. "This vote is particularly troubling in that it demonstrates an overall lack of awareness with regard to Y2K's potential effects on a country's infrastructure, with a propfound misunderstanding of Y2K's potential effect on ballistic missile systems" said Bennett, who was instrumental inconvincing US and Russian officials tp participate in a joint early warning center in Colorado Springs that will monitor launch information during the millenium date change. "Shutting down missile warning systems would be far more dangerous than any problem that may arise from Y2K. What the European Parliament is asking countries to do is to wear blindfolds during the crucial date rollover" During a senate Y2K hearing on September 28, deputy special advisor John Beyrle of the US State department said that "close collaboration between our militaries to minimise Y2K problems will result in [the US and Russia] being less vulnerable to accidental missile launches" Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind) co-author of the Nunn-Lugar cooperative Threat Reduction Program also said during Committee testimony that in visits to Russia and briefings with experts, he was "convinced that the chances of an accidental missile launch as a result of a Y2K problem are almost nonexistent" "Missiles don't launch themselves" said Bennett "There is always a human being that is an integral part of the command process. The real danger lies in the generation of inaccurate information that could result in false alarms.[Yes! Thats precisely what we are concerned about!] Or worse still, the lack of any information at all. Recognising false alarms takes cooperation and well - trained military personell who are supported by Governments and understand the Y2K challenge. International cooperation and awareness are the keys to avoiding a Y2K catastrophe, not pulling the plug and hoping for the best" 3)EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SAYS TAKE N-WEAPONS OFF ALERT FOR Y2K The European Parliament today passed by a substantial majority a resolution called 'On the year 2000 Bug in the Civil and Military Sectors', in which it called for nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert and for nuclear reactors to be shut down over the Y2K rollover. The European Parliament has been lobbied by an unprecedented combination of Australian, US, Japanese, and European activists who are concerned that the year 2000 date change does not see either global nuclear catastrophe or one or more major reactor accidents. According to Friends of the Earth Sydney Australia nuclear campaigner John Hallam: "The European Parliament has shown commendable commonsense. The Canberra Commission of 1996, the Tokyo Forum, and two resolutions last year in the United Nations General Assembly as well as two resolutions this year in the same body have called for the de-alerting of strategic nuclear weapons. The Senate here in Australia has passed two measures aimed at the avoidance of what the US Senate has called 'unintended deadly consequences' as a result of computer-generated false alarms in nuclear weapons related systems, and 71 US congressional representatives have signed on to a motion in the US Congress calling for nuclear weapons to be taken off alert." "A variety of bodies in the US, Europe, and Japan have pointed to the unwisdom of allowing nuclear reactors in which safety functions are controlled by complex computer software to operate through the date change. Especial concern has been expressed concerning reactors in Russia and Ukraine, but concern exists across the board in Europe (east and west), Japan, the US, and Russia." "We hope the year 2000 date change will pass without incident. However, the measures we have asked for are commonsense ones, which have been advocated for their intrinsic benefit, with or without Y2K. If nothing happens over the Y2K rollover, so much the better. But why not take commonsense precautions such as taking 5,600 nuclear weapons off hairtrigger alert, and ensuring that nuclear reactors have adequate backup power supplies when these are things that should be done anyway?" "These measures are far from radical. They are commonsense responses to a problem that requires a cautious, responsible, and realistic approach. We commend the resolution." Contact: John Hallam, Nuclear Campaigner, Friends of the Earth Sydney, 61-2-9517-3903, H61-2-9810-2598, >COMPROMISE RESOLUTION > >Tabled by >Elly Plooij-Van Gorsel on behalf of the ELDR Group, >Maj-Britt Theorin on behalf of the PSE Group, >Heidi Hautala and others on behalf of the Green/EFA Group, >Giles Chichester and others on behalf of the PPE Group, >?? on behalf of the GUE Group > > >To replace resolutions B5-268/99 (ELDR), B5-279/99 (PSE), B5-292/99 >(Green/EFA), B5-303/99 (PPE), > > >On the Year 2000 Bug in the civil and military sectors > > >The European Parliament, > >- having regard to the responsibilites of the EU in the areas of major >accidents and their consequences, relating to radioactive and chemical >pollution, and its role in nuclear safety under the Euratom Treaty, > >- having regard to the report of Parliament on the 'Year 2000 problem, >which requested a 3 monthly update from the Commission, as well as various >reports from the Commission, and the conclusions and the resolution of >Council, as well as the work of the G8 and the IAEA, > >- having regard to the update given by the Commission to the Industry, >External Trade, Research and Energy Committee on November 8th, > >A. noting growing concern worldwide that the failure of computers to >recognize the year 2000 date change could affect control systems at >nuclear and other environmentally sensitive plants, as well as off-site >electrical supplies from the networks to such plant, in addition to >command, control, communications and intelligence systems of nuclear >forces, > >B. whereas nuclear power plant safety systems are not generally digitally >based, though monitoring systems normally are, and while the Commission >has recognised that enormous progress has been made, there is also >increasing acceptance about the infeasibility of bringing all such >computerised systems to year 2000 computer compliance, resulting in some >risk of infrastructure disruption, and a lack or preparedness amongst >SMEs, > >C. noting that as a result, according to respected analysts, there exists >a small but unacceptable risk of serious nuclear or other accidents, >especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and the NIS, especially where >nuclear plant use plutonium fuel, and similar risk of an accidental >nuclear war, > >D. whereas there are hundreds of operating nuclear plants and research >reactors and thousands of other environment-sensitive plants around the >globe, and whereas there are such installations in all EU Member States, >and whereas data errors have caused mishaps and near accidents at nuclear >power stations in the past, > >E. whereas date errors and false signals may also affect the nuclear armed >forces, with potentially disastrous consequences, notably where nuclear >weapons are on "hair-trigger" alert, such as in the United States of >America and the Russian Federation, and whereas two EU Member States have >nuclear armed forces which may be affected by year 2000 computer problems, > >F. welcoming the UK government's announcement that it has relaxed the >notice to fire of its nuclear forces from minutes to days, > >G. noting that in 1996 the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of >Nuclear Weapons recommended that all nuclear forces be taken off >hair-trigger alert, preferably by physical separation of the warheads from >delivery vehicles, > >H. noting that a number of resolutions in the UN General Assembly, notably >Resolution 53/77Y "Towards a nuclear weapon- free world: the need for a >new agenda", have called for nuclear forces to be de-alerted, > >1. Calls on the governments of the states having a nuclear weapon >capability to take all the necessary steps to avoid that year 2000 >computer problems may lead to the accidental or unintended firing of >nuclear weapons by 'de-alerting' those weapons; > >2. Calls on all non-nuclear-weapons Member States of the European Union to >make vigorous representations to that effect; > >3. Calls on all governments to instruct the operators of all nuclear or >other environment-sensitive plant not able to verifiably demonstrate their >complete Y2K compliance, that such plant must be at least temporarily shut >down at the Millennium, and that in any case stand-by electrical power >should be available for up to 60 days at all nuclear plant to operate >cooling pumps and safety systems, and longer term back-up must be provided >for spent fuel cooling ponds; suggests that the Council and Commission >press all governments accordingly, especially in Central and Eastern >Europe, Russia and the NIS, and Turkey; > >4. Recalls and restates its resolution of 25/02/99 on "The Year 2000 >Computer Problem", and notes that in the meantime two particular problems >seem to persist: >- the degree of progress in some Member States is not sufficient, which >may lead to consequences in view of existing cross-border global and >sectorial levels of integration; >- SMEs are more exposed to possible disruption than big international >companies and a certain number of them may be liable to suffer heavy >financial consequences if they do not adjust in time, requiring urgent >action by the Commission, and national and regional administrations; > >5. Strongly recomments that the European Council of Helsinki, to be held >just a couple of weeks before the turn of the century, adopt appropriate >measures, and make an awareness statement to the European citizens on the >precise situation of the problem and the potential risks; > >6. Calls on the OECD Members to urgently provide specific resources to >Central and Eastern European countries and the NIS for the purpose of >financing alternatives to their nuclear power plants at the Millennium and >in the medium term, to close down those nuclear power plants no longer >fulfilling internationally recognised safety standards and to fund >alternative sources of energy; > >7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, >the Council, the UN Security Council, the IAEA, the governments of the >Member States and the applicant states and the Members of the OECD and the >IAEA. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 15:13:48 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) Yahoo, Bennett, *BOTH* got EUROPARL Resolution Wrong! (Did Yahoo mislead Bennett?) John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, Fax(61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html Dear All, Both Yahoo News and Senator Bennett have misinterpreted the Y2K resolution in the EP, and it's clear enough I think, that Bennet has simply taken the Yahoo account of the resolution and not looked at the text. Given that he is chair of the Senate Y2K committee this is pretty bad. Whether there is anything wilful and/or perverse about Benetts misinterpretation - (he has clearly taken a misinterpretation that suits his purpose) - is another question. But note the following: The Yahoo account of the resolution says that the EP deputies voted to 'Shut down nuclear weapon alert systems' over the Y2K rollover. If the deputies had done that then they would indeed have taken leave of their senses. That is NOT what the resolution said! It's precisely because Y2K problems may do exactly that or else provide false alarms that the EP has asked and we ask, to de- alert weapons systems. That is, to place them in a status in which immediate launch is not possible, whether by altering firing circuits, pinning open switches, reprogramming, removing batteries, switching of gyros or whatever. Needless to say they didn't, and there is no way that the phrase 'de-Alerting' in the EP Y2K resolution can possibly be taken to mean anything other than to do the same as the UK has done, namely to move the 'notice to fire' from monutes to days, so that an immediate retaliation to a most likely nonexistent attack is simply not possible. That amounts (for Alan Philips benefit) to a renunciation of 'launch on Warning'. It certainly makes LOW impossible. I have included below 1)The YAHOO account of the resolution 2)Bennetts riposte 3)The FOE Sydney release and the text of the resolution, as already posted. Do read all of them and you'll see that while there is no foundation in the text of the resolution for Bennets comments, there is in the Yahoo account. Lesson (esp for those who used the Yahoo account and didn't wait for the text which I posted as soon as I knew that the resolution had in fact actually passed - reasonable caution) - don't trust secondary sources such as YAHOO, or at least prefer the original text of the resolution! If anyone would like to write to Bennett and point out his error, please do so. His fax number is 1-202-224-4908. I'll be writing myself with one or two others. 1)YAHOO ACCOUNT OF THE RESOLUTION - Note error between **. >Euro Deputies Warn Y2K Could Cause Atomic Disaster > >http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991118/tc/europe_nuclear_1.html > >STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European Parliament voted Thursday to ask >countries to *shut down their nuclear weapon alert systems* over New Year to >avoid accidental launches caused by the millennium bug computer problem. > >Deputies said they would appeal to the United States and Russia in >particular to guard against possible errors in computer systems that cannot >recognize the date change to 2000. > >U.S. and Russian military officials are due to spend New Year's Eve together >in a special command center designed to avoid accidents caused by the >millennium bug. > >The parliament voted to ask countries with nuclear power stations to shut >them down over New Year's Eve unless they had been shown to be millennium >compliant. > >Deputies said their appeal would be aimed specifically at countries in >central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, Russia and members of the former Soviet >Union. 2) BENNET RIPOSTE [Copied from the Bennet webpage, typos mine] BENNETT TROUBLED BY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTE TO SHUT DOWN NUCLEAR WARNING SYSTEMS FOR Y2K WASHINGTON, DC: US Senator Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah) Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the year 2000 Technology Problem, today said he was troubled by a vote in the European Parliament to reccommend that countries shut down nuclear weapon alert systems over the millenium date change due to fears of accidental, Y2K- induced ballistic missile launches. "This vote is particularly troubling in that it demonstrates an overall lack of awareness with regard to Y2K's potential effects on a country's infrastructure, with a propfound misunderstanding of Y2K's potential effect on ballistic missile systems" said Bennett, who was instrumental inconvincing US and Russian officials tp participate in a joint early warning center in Colorado Springs that will monitor launch information during the millenium date change. "Shutting down missile warning systems would be far more dangerous than any problem that may arise from Y2K. What the European Parliament is asking countries to do is to wear blindfolds during the crucial date rollover" During a senate Y2K hearing on September 28, deputy special advisor John Beyrle of the US State department said that "close collaboration between our militaries to minimise Y2K problems will result in [the US and Russia] being less vulnerable to accidental missile launches" Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind) co-author of the Nunn-Lugar cooperative Threat Reduction Program also said during Committee testimony that in visits to Russia and briefings with experts, he was "convinced that the chances of an accidental missile launch as a result of a Y2K problem are almost nonexistent" "Missiles don't launch themselves" said Bennett "There is always a human being that is an integral part of the command process. The real danger lies in the generation of inaccurate information that could result in false alarms.[Yes! Thats precisely what we are concerned about!] Or worse still, the lack of any information at all. Recognising false alarms takes cooperation and well - trained military personell who are supported by Governments and understand the Y2K challenge. International cooperation and awareness are the keys to avoiding a Y2K catastrophe, not pulling the plug and hoping for the best" 3)EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SAYS TAKE N-WEAPONS OFF ALERT FOR Y2K The European Parliament today passed by a substantial majority a resolution called 'On the year 2000 Bug in the Civil and Military Sectors', in which it called for nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert and for nuclear reactors to be shut down over the Y2K rollover. The European Parliament has been lobbied by an unprecedented combination of Australian, US, Japanese, and European activists who are concerned that the year 2000 date change does not see either global nuclear catastrophe or one or more major reactor accidents. According to Friends of the Earth Sydney Australia nuclear campaigner John Hallam: "The European Parliament has shown commendable commonsense. The Canberra Commission of 1996, the Tokyo Forum, and two resolutions last year in the United Nations General Assembly as well as two resolutions this year in the same body have called for the de-alerting of strategic nuclear weapons. The Senate here in Australia has passed two measures aimed at the avoidance of what the US Senate has called 'unintended deadly consequences' as a result of computer-generated false alarms in nuclear weapons related systems, and 71 US congressional representatives have signed on to a motion in the US Congress calling for nuclear weapons to be taken off alert." "A variety of bodies in the US, Europe, and Japan have pointed to the unwisdom of allowing nuclear reactors in which safety functions are controlled by complex computer software to operate through the date change. Especial concern has been expressed concerning reactors in Russia and Ukraine, but concern exists across the board in Europe (east and west), Japan, the US, and Russia." "We hope the year 2000 date change will pass without incident. However, the measures we have asked for are commonsense ones, which have been advocated for their intrinsic benefit, with or without Y2K. If nothing happens over the Y2K rollover, so much the better. But why not take commonsense precautions such as taking 5,600 nuclear weapons off hairtrigger alert, and ensuring that nuclear reactors have adequate backup power supplies when these are things that should be done anyway?" "These measures are far from radical. They are commonsense responses to a problem that requires a cautious, responsible, and realistic approach. We commend the resolution." Contact: John Hallam, Nuclear Campaigner, Friends of the Earth Sydney, 61-2-9517-3903, H61-2-9810-2598, >COMPROMISE RESOLUTION > >Tabled by >Elly Plooij-Van Gorsel on behalf of the ELDR Group, >Maj-Britt Theorin on behalf of the PSE Group, >Heidi Hautala and others on behalf of the Green/EFA Group, >Giles Chichester and others on behalf of the PPE Group, >?? on behalf of the GUE Group > > >To replace resolutions B5-268/99 (ELDR), B5-279/99 (PSE), B5-292/99 >(Green/EFA), B5-303/99 (PPE), > > >On the Year 2000 Bug in the civil and military sectors > > >The European Parliament, > >- having regard to the responsibilites of the EU in the areas of major >accidents and their consequences, relating to radioactive and chemical >pollution, and its role in nuclear safety under the Euratom Treaty, > >- having regard to the report of Parliament on the 'Year 2000 problem, >which requested a 3 monthly update from the Commission, as well as various >reports from the Commission, and the conclusions and the resolution of >Council, as well as the work of the G8 and the IAEA, > >- having regard to the update given by the Commission to the Industry, >External Trade, Research and Energy Committee on November 8th, > >A. noting growing concern worldwide that the failure of computers to >recognize the year 2000 date change could affect control systems at >nuclear and other environmentally sensitive plants, as well as off-site >electrical supplies from the networks to such plant, in addition to >command, control, communications and intelligence systems of nuclear >forces, > >B. whereas nuclear power plant safety systems are not generally digitally >based, though monitoring systems normally are, and while the Commission >has recognised that enormous progress has been made, there is also >increasing acceptance about the infeasibility of bringing all such >computerised systems to year 2000 computer compliance, resulting in some >risk of infrastructure disruption, and a lack or preparedness amongst >SMEs, > >C. noting that as a result, according to respected analysts, there exists >a small but unacceptable risk of serious nuclear or other accidents, >especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and the NIS, especially where >nuclear plant use plutonium fuel, and similar risk of an accidental >nuclear war, > >D. whereas there are hundreds of operating nuclear plants and research >reactors and thousands of other environment-sensitive plants around the >globe, and whereas there are such installations in all EU Member States, >and whereas data errors have caused mishaps and near accidents at nuclear >power stations in the past, > >E. whereas date errors and false signals may also affect the nuclear armed >forces, with potentially disastrous consequences, notably where nuclear >weapons are on "hair-trigger" alert, such as in the United States of >America and the Russian Federation, and whereas two EU Member States have >nuclear armed forces which may be affected by year 2000 computer problems, > >F. welcoming the UK government's announcement that it has relaxed the >notice to fire of its nuclear forces from minutes to days, > >G. noting that in 1996 the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of >Nuclear Weapons recommended that all nuclear forces be taken off >hair-trigger alert, preferably by physical separation of the warheads from >delivery vehicles, > >H. noting that a number of resolutions in the UN General Assembly, notably >Resolution 53/77Y "Towards a nuclear weapon- free world: the need for a >new agenda", have called for nuclear forces to be de-alerted, > >1. Calls on the governments of the states having a nuclear weapon >capability to take all the necessary steps to avoid that year 2000 >computer problems may lead to the accidental or unintended firing of >nuclear weapons by 'de-alerting' those weapons; > >2. Calls on all non-nuclear-weapons Member States of the European Union to >make vigorous representations to that effect; > >3. Calls on all governments to instruct the operators of all nuclear or >other environment-sensitive plant not able to verifiably demonstrate their >complete Y2K compliance, that such plant must be at least temporarily shut >down at the Millennium, and that in any case stand-by electrical power >should be available for up to 60 days at all nuclear plant to operate >cooling pumps and safety systems, and longer term back-up must be provided >for spent fuel cooling ponds; suggests that the Council and Commission >press all governments accordingly, especially in Central and Eastern >Europe, Russia and the NIS, and Turkey; > >4. Recalls and restates its resolution of 25/02/99 on "The Year 2000 >Computer Problem", and notes that in the meantime two particular problems >seem to persist: >- the degree of progress in some Member States is not sufficient, which >may lead to consequences in view of existing cross-border global and >sectorial levels of integration; >- SMEs are more exposed to possible disruption than big international >companies and a certain number of them may be liable to suffer heavy >financial consequences if they do not adjust in time, requiring urgent >action by the Commission, and national and regional administrations; > >5. Strongly recomments that the European Council of Helsinki, to be held >just a couple of weeks before the turn of the century, adopt appropriate >measures, and make an awareness statement to the European citizens on the >precise situation of the problem and the potential risks; > >6. Calls on the OECD Members to urgently provide specific resources to >Central and Eastern European countries and the NIS for the purpose of >financing alternatives to their nuclear power plants at the Millennium and >in the medium term, to close down those nuclear power plants no longer >fulfilling internationally recognised safety standards and to fund >alternative sources of energy; > >7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, >the Council, the UN Security Council, the IAEA, the governments of the >Member States and the applicant states and the Members of the OECD and the >IAEA. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 11:42:48 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) U.S. SENATE Y2K CHIEF GETS EURO-VOTE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE U.S. SENATE Y2K CHIEF GETS EURO-VOTE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Australian antinuclear activists who lobbied for the European Parliament to pass a motion last Thursday, for US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert are shocked by utterly incorrect statements from Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah), that the European Parliament has voted for nuclear early warning systems to be shut down. According to Friends of the Earth nuclear campaigner John Hallam, who has been coordinating a monster sign-on letter to presidents Yeltsin and Clinton asking for nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K rollover, and helped lobby for the EP Y2K resolution, "To be misrepresented in this way by Senator Bennett in his capacity as US Senate Y2K Special Committee chief is shocking. Its clear that he has simply not read the text of the Europarliamentary resolution." "What it calls for is for the US and Russia in particular to de-alert nuclear weapons systems. De-Alerting has been called for by a variety of bodies starting with Australia's own Canberra Commission, the Tokyo Forum, two recent resolutions of the Australian Senate, and two recent resolutions of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as two General Assembly resolutions last year. There has never been any implication that it meant switching off early warning systems as Senator Bennett says. Nobody has ever said warning systems should be switched off and no- one ever will." "It is precisely because Y2K - related computer malfunctions may indeed shut down or degrade warning systems that the European Parliament has enacted a very cautious and responsible motion, namely that nuclear weapons should be de-alerted, that is, taken off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K rollover so that it is not possible to fire them in error, or as a result of false alarms caused by defective warning systems. The British have already done the needful by changing the 'notice to fire' on their nuclear weapons from minutes to days, and this is exactly what the EP is asking for." "The resolution of the European Parliament deserves first of all correct reporting, and second, applause. We call on Senator Bennett to actually read the motion, which we have faxed him, and to withdraw his irresponsible statements." John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Sydney Nuclear Campaigner, 61-2-9517-3903 h 61-2-9810-2598 - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 11:42:48 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) U.S. SENATE Y2K CHIEF GETS EURO-VOTE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE U.S. SENATE Y2K CHIEF GETS EURO-VOTE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Australian antinuclear activists who lobbied for the European Parliament to pass a motion last Thursday, for US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert are shocked by utterly incorrect statements from Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah), that the European Parliament has voted for nuclear early warning systems to be shut down. According to Friends of the Earth nuclear campaigner John Hallam, who has been coordinating a monster sign-on letter to presidents Yeltsin and Clinton asking for nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K rollover, and helped lobby for the EP Y2K resolution, "To be misrepresented in this way by Senator Bennett in his capacity as US Senate Y2K Special Committee chief is shocking. Its clear that he has simply not read the text of the Europarliamentary resolution." "What it calls for is for the US and Russia in particular to de-alert nuclear weapons systems. De-Alerting has been called for by a variety of bodies starting with Australia's own Canberra Commission, the Tokyo Forum, two recent resolutions of the Australian Senate, and two recent resolutions of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as two General Assembly resolutions last year. There has never been any implication that it meant switching off early warning systems as Senator Bennett says. Nobody has ever said warning systems should be switched off and no- one ever will." "It is precisely because Y2K - related computer malfunctions may indeed shut down or degrade warning systems that the European Parliament has enacted a very cautious and responsible motion, namely that nuclear weapons should be de-alerted, that is, taken off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K rollover so that it is not possible to fire them in error, or as a result of false alarms caused by defective warning systems. The British have already done the needful by changing the 'notice to fire' on their nuclear weapons from minutes to days, and this is exactly what the EP is asking for." "The resolution of the European Parliament deserves first of all correct reporting, and second, applause. We call on Senator Bennett to actually read the motion, which we have faxed him, and to withdraw his irresponsible statements." John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Sydney Nuclear Campaigner, 61-2-9517-3903 h 61-2-9810-2598 - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 16:41:56 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign Subject: (abolition-usa) Can You Get this to your Local Media? Dear All, According to Paul Laurie, >In the US on NBC tonite, there is a TV drama about Y2K. It includes drama >The press is very interested in talking to us. Please have everyone you know >call them now. I believe the next few days because of this nbc show will be >very hot. If the result of the NBC show is to suddenly make the press interested in Y2K, and in talking to us, can people get this to their local media? It concerns Senator Bennetts egregious misrepresentation of the Europarliament Y2K resolution. I suggest using your own names on it (and making whatever changes are necessary), or else using both mine and your own names. But it's perfectly OK to substitute your own names. Make whatever changes you see as necessary to get a local angle. Go for it! John Hallam U.S. SENATE Y2K CHIEF GETS EURO- Y2K-VOTE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Antinuclear activists who lobbied for the European Parliament to pass a motion last Thursday, for US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons to be taken off hairtrigger alert are shocked by utterly incorrect statements from Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah), that the European Parliament has voted for nuclear early warning systems to be shut down. According to(insert name) "To be misrepresented in this way by Senator Bennett in his capacity as US Senate Y2K Special Committee chief is shocking. Its clear that he has simply not read the text of the Europarliamentary resolution." "What it calls for is for the US and Russia in particular to de-alert nuclear weapons systems. De-Alerting has been called for by a variety of bodies starting with Australia's own Canberra Commission, the Tokyo Forum, two recent resolutions of the Australian Senate, and two recent resolutions of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as two General Assembly resolutions last year. There has never been any implication that it meant switching off early warning systems as Senator Bennett says. Nobody has ever said warning systems should be switched off and no- one ever will." "It is precisely because Y2K - related computer malfunctions may indeed shut down or degrade warning systems that the European Parliament has enacted a very cautious and responsible motion, namely that nuclear weapons should be de-alerted, that is, taken off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K rollover so that it is not possible to fire them in error, or as a result of false alarms caused by defective warning systems. The British have already done the needful by changing the 'notice to fire' on their nuclear weapons from minutes to days, and this is exactly what the EP is asking for." "The resolution of the European Parliament deserves first of all correct reporting, and second, applause. We call on Senator Bennett to actually read the motion, which we have faxed him, and to withdraw his irresponsible statements." (insert name) John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Sydney Nuclear Campaigner, 61-2-9517-3903 h 61-2-9810-2598 >COMPROMISE RESOLUTION > >Tabled by >Elly Plooij-Van Gorsel on behalf of the ELDR Group, >Maj-Britt Theorin on behalf of the PSE Group, >Heidi Hautala and others on behalf of the Green/EFA Group, >Giles Chichester and others on behalf of the PPE Group, >?? on behalf of the GUE Group > > >To replace resolutions B5-268/99 (ELDR), B5-279/99 (PSE), B5-292/99 >(Green/EFA), B5-303/99 (PPE), > > >On the Year 2000 Bug in the civil and military sectors > > >The European Parliament, > >- having regard to the responsibilites of the EU in the areas of major >accidents and their consequences, relating to radioactive and chemical >pollution, and its role in nuclear safety under the Euratom Treaty, > >- having regard to the report of Parliament on the 'Year 2000 problem, >which requested a 3 monthly update from the Commission, as well as various >reports from the Commission, and the conclusions and the resolution of >Council, as well as the work of the G8 and the IAEA, > >- having regard to the update given by the Commission to the Industry, >External Trade, Research and Energy Committee on November 8th, > >A. noting growing concern worldwide that the failure of computers to >recognize the year 2000 date change could affect control systems at >nuclear and other environmentally sensitive plants, as well as off-site >electrical supplies from the networks to such plant, in addition to >command, control, communications and intelligence systems of nuclear >forces, > >B. whereas nuclear power plant safety systems are not generally digitally >based, though monitoring systems normally are, and while the Commission >has recognised that enormous progress has been made, there is also >increasing acceptance about the infeasibility of bringing all such >computerised systems to year 2000 computer compliance, resulting in some >risk of infrastructure disruption, and a lack or preparedness amongst >SMEs, > >C. noting that as a result, according to respected analysts, there exists >a small but unacceptable risk of serious nuclear or other accidents, >especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and the NIS, especially where >nuclear plant use plutonium fuel, and similar risk of an accidental >nuclear war, > >D. whereas there are hundreds of operating nuclear plants and research >reactors and thousands of other environment-sensitive plants around the >globe, and whereas there are such installations in all EU Member States, >and whereas data errors have caused mishaps and near accidents at nuclear >power stations in the past, > >E. whereas date errors and false signals may also affect the nuclear armed >forces, with potentially disastrous consequences, notably where nuclear >weapons are on "hair-trigger" alert, such as in the United States of >America and the Russian Federation, and whereas two EU Member States have >nuclear armed forces which may be affected by year 2000 computer problems, > >F. welcoming the UK government's announcement that it has relaxed the >notice to fire of its nuclear forces from minutes to days, > >G. noting that in 1996 the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of >Nuclear Weapons recommended that all nuclear forces be taken off >hair-trigger alert, preferably by physical separation of the warheads from >delivery vehicles, > >H. noting that a number of resolutions in the UN General Assembly, notably >Resolution 53/77Y "Towards a nuclear weapon- free world: the need for a >new agenda", have called for nuclear forces to be de-alerted, > >1. Calls on the governments of the states having a nuclear weapon >capability to take all the necessary steps to avoid that year 2000 >computer problems may lead to the accidental or unintended firing of >nuclear weapons by 'de-alerting' those weapons; > >2. Calls on all non-nuclear-weapons Member States of the European Union to >make vigorous representations to that effect; > >3. Calls on all governments to instruct the operators of all nuclear or >other environment-sensitive plant not able to verifiably demonstrate their >complete Y2K compliance, that such plant must be at least temporarily shut >down at the Millennium, and that in any case stand-by electrical power >should be available for up to 60 days at all nuclear plant to operate >cooling pumps and safety systems, and longer term back-up must be provided >for spent fuel cooling ponds; suggests that the Council and Commission >press all governments accordingly, especially in Central and Eastern >Europe, Russia and the NIS, and Turkey; > >4. Recalls and restates its resolution of 25/02/99 on "The Year 2000 >Computer Problem", and notes that in the meantime two particular problems >seem to persist: >- the degree of progress in some Member States is not sufficient, which >may lead to consequences in view of existing cross-border global and >sectorial levels of integration; >- SMEs are more exposed to possible disruption than big international >companies and a certain number of them may be liable to suffer heavy >financial consequences if they do not adjust in time, requiring urgent >action by the Commission, and national and regional administrations; > >5. Strongly recomments that the European Council of Helsinki, to be held >just a couple of weeks before the turn of the century, adopt appropriate >measures, and make an awareness statement to the European citizens on the >precise situation of the problem and the potential risks; > >6. Calls on the OECD Members to urgently provide specific resources to >Central and Eastern European countries and the NIS for the purpose of >financing alternatives to their nuclear power plants at the Millennium and >in the medium term, to close down those nuclear power plants no longer >fulfilling internationally recognised safety standards and to fund >alternative sources of energy; > >7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, >the Council, the UN Security Council, the IAEA, the governments of the >Member States and the applicant states and the Members of the OECD and the >IAEA. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. 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