urg:::MAPW press release - Australian Drs Back Argentinean Colleagues

[Medical Association for Prevention of War, Australia]

Medical Association for Prevention of War, Australia
National Office:  P.O. Box 1379, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia www.mapw.org.au
Ph: +61 (0)413 594 717 Fax: +61 3 9427 7920  mapw@mapw.org.au

Press Release
27 June 2002

CALL FOR BAN ON OUR NUCLEAR WASTE

AUSTRALIAN DOCTORS BACK ARGENTINEAN COLLEAGUES

Australian doctors today called on the Commonwealth government to abandon
plans to ship spent fuel from the proposed nuclear reactor in Sydney to
Argentina, responding to objections from that country's peak medical bodies.

"Australia must listen to the Argentinean medical profession" said Dr Bill
Williams, MAPW Deputy International Councillor.

"The Argentinean constitution prohibits the importation of radioactive waste
and their doctors are rock solid on this. Disposal of our nuclear waste is
not a responsibility the Argentineans want to shoulder and we should not ask
them to."

Both FEMECON (Medical Federation of the Urban Sector) and FEMEBA (Medical
Federation of the Province of Buenos Aires) have rejected the 'Nuclear
Cooperation Agreement' that the Chamber of Representatives is considering,
which would allow the entrance to Argentina of nuclear waste from other
countries.

Over 17000 doctors signed the statement, which details its "...absolute
opposition to the import of radioactive waste from Australia" and underlined
its "profound opposition to the agreement which authorizes it and which puts
millions of people at risk in an area which is densely populated".

The spent fuel from the Lucas Heights reactor contains highly dangerous
radiation and must be processed, then secured for tens of thousands of
years - representing a serious threat to human health and a lure for would
be terrorists and saboteurs.

"We don't need this reactor to maintain quality nuclear medicine facilities
in Australia - that is a furphy", said Dr Williams. " Let's spend the money
on addressing neglected aspects of our health sector and not a potential
health hazard!"

MAPW is the Australian affiliate of Nobel Peace Prize winning International
Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, representing 60 affiliates
worldwide.

For more information, contact Dr Bill Williams 03 5261 6245

-------------------------------------
Ms. Giji Gya
Executive Officer, Medical Association for Prevention of War
(MAPW Australia)
giji.gya@mapw.org.au
www.mapw.org.au
---------------------------------
Ph: +61 (0) 413 594 717
Fax: +61 3 9427 7920
---------------------------------
PO Box 1379
Carlton (Melbourne)  VIC 3053, Australia

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