Again,
Argentina is threatened by a possible nuclear dump.
A
government official wants congress to authorize
the nuclear agreement with Australia and for
Argentina to accept and reprocess nuclear
radioactive waste from abroad, "the dirtiest
most dangerous and profittable business on the
planet".
This
is the same nuclear agreement with Australia that
congress did not want to authorize during the last
three years due to the great public pressure
against it. Organizations all over the world were
on alert.
August
30th, Cordoba and Buenos Aires (Argentina). FUNAM publicly
announced together with RENACE and other
environmental organizations from all over the
country that a government official from the
Ministry is "trying to revive the Nuclear
Agreement with Australia that would allow
Argentina to reprocess foreign nuclear waste and
then to send it back to their original countries"
Eduardo Felix Valdes, Chief Cabinet Member has
been meeting with those who support the Agreement
to get it accepted in the Lower House of Congress.
FUNAM indicated that this is being done without
"informing the public nor the NGO's that are
against it because the Cabinet Chief knows that if
a public debate is carried out the Agreement will
never be authorized".
The
nuclear Agreement with Australia, which was
originated with previous governments, three years
ago, is in the Lower House of Congress, but the
strong public opposition stalled it. Raul
Montenegro, president of FUNAM, stated that this
"Agreement is a trap skillfully prepared by
people from the nuclear lobby, and who do not care
about violating the Constitution nor placing
Argentina at risk". He added that the small
print in the Agreement "allows Argentina to
do the reprocessing of foreign nuclear waste. To
reprocess means to take Plutonium 239 and Uranium
235 from the depleted fuel to send ot other
countries and to return the very dangerous
Plutonium 239, which is used to make nuclear
devices, for the country that contracted those
services with Argentina. This is the dirtiest and
most dangerous and profitable business on the
planet, that is why so far it's only done by three
countries: Russia, France and Great Britain".
Dr.
Raul Montenegro, who is a teacher for the National
Universities of Cordoba and Buenos Aires, reminded
us that the "Nuclear Agreement with Australia
"violated Article 41 of the National
Constitution which does not allow the entrance of
foreign nuclear waste". Montenegro added that
the members of the nuclear lobby, who obtain
enormous profits doing business directly from the
government, "can continue to sell their
services turning this country in the radioactive
dump of the industrial world. They don't need the
Agreement to export the technology. Of course they
will have to do it without offering to reprocess
foreign nuclear waste."
Dr.
Montenegro added that this Agreement which was
concocted without consulting with the public,
"refloats the 'Clean Kilowatt" which was
promoted by the nuclear lobby in Argentina in the
90's. This was a perfect deal, Government
officials linked with INVAP and CNEA, offered to
build the reactor CAREM which was developed by
INVAP, and as part of the package to receive for
permanent storage in Argentina all the nuclear
waste that those reactors produced in other
countries. The project was 'clean kilowatts'
abroad, not for Argentina.
Montenegro
added that this project 'crashed when the
Constitutional Convention of 1994, authorized the
new Constitution, because it forbid the admission
of radioactive waste. Years later Conrado Varotto,
who was known for promoting nuclear technology in
Argentina, charged publicly against Article 41 of
the Constitution of 1994, because according to him
it was an obstacle for a good business deal".
Now the Nuclear Agreement with Australia revive
the project of the "Clean Kilowatt", in
other words a new strategy, but the results are
always the same. So that the members of the
nuclear lobby can do their business deals,
Argentina must bring foreign nuclear waste and run
all the risks, including those posed by
international terrorism.
RENACE,
a strong coalition of NGO's and other social
organizations throughout the country declared an
alert to stop this project which was halted during
three years and which was forgotten because it is
illegal and publicly not viable.
For
more information
Dr.
Raúl A. Montenegro, Biólogo.
Presidente
de FUNAM (Fundación para la defensa del
ambiente).
Casilla de Correo 83, Correo Central.
(5000) Córdoba, Argentina.
Tel +54-351-4557710 y 4551441 (Particular)
Tel +54-351-4690282 (FUNAM)
Fax +54-351-4557710
Radioaviso: Tel +54-351-4521313 (mensaje para
Clave 2521)
E-mail: montenegro@funam.org.ar
Web: www.funam.org.ar
FUNAM
is an NGO created in 1982.
FUNAM has consultative status at ECOSOC and CSD (United
Nations, New York). Member of RENACE (Argentina).
Global 500 Award from United Nations (1987).
