Intellectuals from both sides make joint plea

Press, 31 May 1982, Page 8

Intellectuals from both sides make joint plea

NZPA London ■ Dame Judith Hart, chairi woman of the British Labour Party, yesterday issued the English-language version of ■ a unique appeal by both } British and Argentine || “scholars, scientists, writers, Ji and artists” demanding an j immediate cease-fire in the : ‘Falkland Islands conflict. I Dame Judith is also chairwoman of the ad hoc Falki lands Peace Committee, under whose auspices the I appeal has been organised. I Dame Judith has throughout the crisis been an impla- | cable opponent of the sending of the British task-force. i This appeal will come as a major boost to those 30 or so . “rebel” Labour members of Parliament from all wings of J the party who have also ! opposed the Government's , determination to use force, if : necessary, to recapture the islands. The statement reads: “We, the undersigned scholars,

scientists, writers, and artists from Argentina and Great Britain are deeply concerned about the conflict between our two countries and the consequent loss of life in the South Atlantic. “The civilised co-existence of nations requires that conflicts are resolved by negotiations, not by force. Therefore, we urge our Governments to prevent the further escalation of war by: "First, an immediate ceasefire; second, the initiation of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations leading to the withdrawal of the armed forces of both sides, without preconditions. “We call upon the citizens of both our countries and of the rest of the world to support this appeal and to act to prevent further bloodshed.” The appeal lists the British signatories as: Dorothy Hodgkin, Fellow of the Royal

Society, Nobel laureate (crystallographer); Max Perutz, F.R£. Nobel laureate (molecular biologist); Joan Robinson (economist); Sir Martin Ryle, F.RS., Nobel laureate (astronomer); Maurice Wilkins F.R.S. Nobel laureate (molecular biologist); and Baroness Wootton (social scientist). The Argentine signatories listed are: Professor Bernardo Canal Seijo, president of the Academy of Letters; Bonifacia del Carill, member of the Academy of History; Professor G. Klimowsky (philosopher); Professor A. Lanari (physician); Dr E. Levin (biochemist). Dame Judith said: “This statement was drafted jointly by scholars and scientists in England and in Argentina, agreed in its English text over the phone, and has been signed by leading figures in culture, science, social science, and the performing arts in both countries.” -