For a real nuclear-free zone

The announcement by the governments of Britain, the United States and France that they will finally sign the protocols of the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone (SPNFZ) — 10 years after its adoption by the countries of the Pacific — is a cynical ploy by the nuclear weapons' states in the West, and their lackeys, to relieve the mounting worldwide anti-nuclear pressure. As a gesture of nuclear solidarity with France, Britain and the US will not sign the protocols until after France has completed its nuclear testing program next year. The announcement comes just before the November 10 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Auckland. It is speculated that Britain's embracing of the SPNFZ was part of a deal stitched up in connivance with Commonwealth officials to lessen criticism of Britain's refusal to condemn French testing. In a move designed to blunt criticism of France's testing program, British officials reportedly urged Chirac to announce France's intention to sign the protocols and delay further tests until after CHOGM. Similarly, a US signature is a useful PR exercise. While the US government has expressed "regret" at the French tests, it has allowed France to fly essential materials — possibly including plutonium — in breach of US law through US airspace. A US official admitted that signing the SPNFZ would not require the US to alter its military operations — US nuclear-powered and -armed warships will continue to cruise the Pacific and US military bases will stay in the region, including at Nurrungar and Pine Gap in Australia. The US refuses to renounce the use of nuclear weapons as a first strike weapon, even against opponents armed only with conventional weapons. The Australian government lauded this publicity stunt by the nuclear superpowers. Their announcement gives its half-hearted anti-testing campaign some semblance of success. Following governor-general Bill Hayden's failure to condemn French nuclear testing at the UN on October 24, it appears that the Australian government is happy to sit out the remainder of France's testing program. Canberra also hopes the announcement will give credibility to the toothless SPNFZ, which was never intended to seriously hamper the nuclear war fighting capabilities of the West. In 1985, the Hawke Labor government pressured the South Pacific Forum to adopt a treaty which outlaws the manufacture, storage and testing of nuclear weapons in the South Pacific, but does not prevent: port visits or the transit through the Pacific of nuclear-armed or -powered ships; the siting of communications and intelligence bases essential for nuclear conflict; the right to launch nuclear weapons from the waters of the Pacific; the maintenance of military alliances with nuclear powers; the storage of nuclear waste; or the mining and export of uranium. France is in the process of transferring its nuclear arsenal to a fleet of advanced submarines. The current round of tests is designed to perfect those warheads. Under SPNFZ, France's nuclear armed subs will be allowed to prowl the Pacific. The peace movement must again demand a real nuclear-free zone in the Pacific. This means: removing US bases from Australia and the region, ending the ANZUS alliance, ending the mining and export of uranium; and stopping all nuclear-armed and -powered warships from prowling the Pacific.