Greenpeace defends P.M.’s decision

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 3

Greenpeace defends P.M.’s decision

NZPA staff correspondent London The New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr Lange, had not "copped out” in the Rainbow Warrior settlement, a Greenpeace spokesman said yesterday. Mr George Pritchard, an international campaign spokesman for the organisation whose ship was sunk by French agents in Auckland Harbour a year ago, said in a personal statement: “I do not see it as a copout by Mr Lange. L . “My own view is that the man is under a lot of pressure. He has f borne that pressure fantastically. He knows what he wants for the South Pacific and New Zealand. I trust him wholeheartedly.”

Mr Pritchard said those were his own views but Greenpeace as an organisation gave its "wholehearted support” to Mr Lange “as long as he remains steadfast in his efforts to make the South Pacific nuclear-free”. Greenpeace would

“concentrate all our efforts on continuing the campaign to bring about an end to the, testing of nuclear weapons by France and all other nations who test”. Mr Pritchard also told NZPA that New Zealand should receive not only monetary compensation from the French Government but also a full apology. He said Greenpeace was progressing “patiently” in its own arbitration with the French over compensation ’’and now that this one has been dealt with ours must come a bit quicker.” Greenpeace was leaving a compensation figure up to an arbitration board which had sat in the United States.