Nuclear stance

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 20

Nuclear stance

Sir,—The power of nuclear weapons begets irrationality in their owners. Everyone knows that the weapons cannot be used for fear of causing Armageddon. The French, Americans and Russians keep testing them. The Indians want them. Israel and South Africa probably already have them. The United States Administration wants to field-test “star wars" (which everyone knows cannot work), an det which will destroy most of the existing nuclear weapons-control treaties. N.A.T.O. countries want nuclear weapons on their soli to counter the Soviet threat, but are alarmed when the Russians offer to abolish their short and medium-range nuclear arsenals if N.A.T.O. reciprocates. The United States and Britain will not sign the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. Most people agree that having a lot fewer nuclear weapons around would lessen the risk to us all, but the political leaders of the nuclear powers are too stupid or lack the courage to make the decisions about their abolition. — Yours, etc., COLIN BURROWS. ; May 15,1987. Sir,—Under the heading of “Radioactive British spring lambs entering life,” you published an article (May 16) which should be of immense concern to New Zealanders, especially our farmers. The article describes the horrifying results becoming apparent in British lambs, because of the radioactive fall-out from the Chernobyl., nuclear power station accident Although only a small portion of the radioactive cloud deposited itself upon the 465 British .farms surveyed, the invisible pollution of pastures has had dire results on sheep grazing in the area. .British fanners are having to slaughter and bury new lambs which are found to be radioactive from birth. The National Party candiate for Lyttelton speaks in favour of nuclear installations in New Zealand, and says: “We must trust our allies.” Maybe so, but trusting nuclear “friends” will not prevent an accident which could be catastrophic to this country.—Yours, etc.,

R. L. PLUCK. May 16, 1987.