AFP

Wednesday, January 17 9:10 PM SGT
Euro parliament calls for moratorium on use of depleted uranium rounds
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STRASBOURG, Jan 17 (AFP) - The European Parliament on Wednesday called for a moratorium on the use of depleted uranium munitions suspected of causing a basket of illnesses including cancer among NATO troops dubbed "Balkans syndrome." In a resolution, the euro-deputies called "on EU member states that are also NATO members to propose that a moratorium be placed on the use of depleted uranium (DU) weapons in accordance with" precautionary principles.

They also called for an assessment of the direct and indirect effects of the use of DU rounds on the environment and civilian populations in the region.

The resolution acknowledged NATO'S position that "there is now neither medical nor statistical proof clearly establishing the existence of a link between the use of depleted uranium and the appearance of leukemia and other forms of cancer or other sicknesses among soldiers and policemen" having served as NATO peacekeepers in the Balkans. But it said the "setting up of an independent European medical work group" to study the medical complaints was desirable.

Earlier Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told deputies he saw "no link" between use of depleted uranium munitions in the Balkans and cancers contracted by soldiers who served there. "We need precise facts," Solana said during a parliamentary debate on the use of the high-penetrating DU rounds and claims they had caused leukemia and other forms of cancer in peacekeeping troops. "We are going to act in transparency," he said. "We need to base our conclusions on facts, not on suppositions."

NATO on Tuesday announced it was embarking on a broad study to determine the causes of so-called "Balkans syndrome," although it firmly contends that no scientifically proven link existed between DU rounds and cancer. Solana was secretary general of NATO during the air campaign against Belgrade in 1999, in which the United States said it fired 31,000 depleted uranium projectiles.

He called for "transparency between EU member states, the EU and NATO, between the allies and their non-NATO partners in Balkans peacekeeping operations, and among governments in the region." "I cannot inform you of things of which I am not cognizant," he added. "That is a subject which, by its very nature, is the responsibility of the governments."

Solana said, though, that he was anxious to reassure the Euro-deputies that they would "know everything that we know" through the intermediary of the European Union Council.

During the debate preceding passage of the moratorium resolution, the president of the Greens group, Paul Lannoye, said he had written to Solana in May 1999 about the use of the material but had never received an answer.

"The need for truth about the past and openness about the future is incontestable," said Francis Wurtz from the United European Left group. Both the Greens and the United European Left have joined Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Norway and Finland in calling for a moratorium on the use of depleted uranium munitions.

The US has flatly rejected the call, repeatedly denying the existence of any link between the use of the munitions and health risks.

Commento: se la Nato fosse un organismo sano, si preoccuperebbe di difendere la nostra salute, invece degli interessi di un complesso militare-industriale-nucleare-genocida. Vi pare? Ricordiamoci che comandiamo noi, comanda il popolo sovrano, e non alcuni generali Stranamore che i prossimi soldati dovranno andare ad arruolarli su Marte.