Posted by andreas from p3EE3C3E9.dip.t-dialin.net (62.227.195.233) on Friday, September 27, 2002 at 10:37AM :
Plaid Cymru: 3 Datganidau i'r Wasg
(Press Releases)
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1)
Medi 26ain.....September 26th 2002
Welsh MEP set to address biggest ever UK anti-war rally
Welsh Euro MP Jill Evans will address the "Don’t attack Iraq - Freedom for Palestine" demonstration in London this Saturday (28 September) which according to its organisers will be the biggest anti-war rally Britain has ever seen.
The Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales MEP, who is also chair of CND Cymru, will be amongst prominent politicians, trade union leaders and peace campaigners leading the demonstration organised by the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain with the support of CND.
Ms Evans, who represents the whole of Wales in the European Parliament said:
"We have to make it perfectly clear to George Bush and Tony Blair that military action is not the answer. An attack on Iraq will kill thousands of innocent people, devastate a country already reeling from sanctions and bombing, and further destabilise the Middle East.
"Of course Saddam Hussein is a dangerous man who has persecuted the people of Iraq - we were saying that in the eighties when the British government was selling him arms. We all want to see a democratic government in Iraq, but more bloodshed won’t achieve that.
"We will also be calling on world leaders to redouble their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Israel and Palestine. I recently visited the region as part of a European Parliamentary fact-finding mission and saw at first hand the immense suffering there at the hands of aggression and violence. Whatever the problem, killing innocent men, women and children can never be the answer.
"Bush and Blair have been travelling the world in an attempt to mobilise support for military action. It is shameful that they have not applied the same dedication to fighting poverty and injustice.”
The rally, which starts from the Embankment at 1.30pm, is expected to attract over 100,000 protestors. Amongst those joining Jill Evans on the speakers stage at Hyde Park from 3pm will be the former UN arms inspector Scott Ritter, the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, the veteran left-winger and former Labour MP Tony Benn and union leaders including Billy Hayes (CWU), Bob Crow (RMT), and Mark Serwotka (PCS).
For more information about the demonstration call Andrew Burgin on 07939 242 229 or Mike Marqusee on 07734 886623 (Stop the War Coalition media officers), or Anas Altakriti on 07889 202912 (Muslim Association of Britain media officer).
Diwedd/Ends.
Meleri Evans
Swyddog y Wasg a Chyfathrebu/Press and Communications Officer
Plaid Cymru The Party Of Wales
Ffon/Phone: T: 029 2064 6000
Symudol/Mobile: 07939 270821
E-bost/E-mail: meleri.evans@plaidcymru.org
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2)
Medi 24ain.....September 24th 2002
PM does not rule out support for US attack without UN sanction
In response to the Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons on Iraq today, Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales branded the UK Government's dossier on Iraq as a "re-hash of information already available."
Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru Parliamentary Leader and MP for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, today demanded that the Prime Minister clarified whether or not they will support an attack on Iraq regardless of a new UN mandate.
Questioning the Prime Minister, Elfyn Llwyd said,
"If diplomacy fails, has the Prime Minister given the United States any commitment that Britain would help a unilateral attack?"
The Prime Minister said that if the weapons inspectors are not allowed to return, then he is prepared to take action. Speaking later in London, Mr Llwyd said,
"Nobody can deny that Saddam's regime is unacceptable, but dislike for his regime should not be a trigger for a pre-emptive military strike. Plaid Cymru's belief is that a unilateral strike at Iraq would risk conflagration in the whole of the Arab world.
"The dossier published today reveals limited military capability and fails to provide any evidence of links between Al Qaeda, Bin Laden and Saddam. Furthermore, as I predicted, this dossier is merely a re-hash of information already available. It is full of ifs and buts and there is no evidence of any urgency. Why then sign up to the possibility of reckless action by George Bush?
"This is the clearest sign yet that Tony Blair will support a US attack with or without a UN mandate and is willing to risk the lives of thousands of innocent people. Tony Blair and George Bush must not act without the full backing of the UN."
Diwedd/Ends.
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3)
Medi 21ain.....September 21st 2002
Vietnam invoked in war debate
Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales European Leader Jill Evans MEP has reminded the Party’s Conference of the parallels between the campaigning of former Plaid Cymru President Gwynfor Evans against the Vietnam War, and their current opposition to war against Iraq.
In a keynote speech at the annual conference in Llandudno, Ms Evans, who is Plaid Cymru International Affairs Spokesperson, said:
"Gwynfor Evans took a stance against the war in Vietnam, and today we speak on behalf of the majority of people in Wales who stand opposed to a war in Iraq."
"War against Iraq would be disastrous and would cause even more instability in the Middle East. Of course Saddam Hussein is a dangerous man who has persecuted the people of Iraq - we were saying that in the eighties when the British government was selling him arms. We all want to see a democratic government in Iraq, but more bloodshed won’t achieve that.
"We believe in the rule of international law. No one is above that law. The campaign against terrorism cannot over-ride democracy and human rights, because respect for human rights is one of the most important weapons in defeating terrorism. The International Criminal Court, established this year in The Hague, has the potential to be the most important human rights mechanism in many years. No one, including the United States, should be exempt from its jurisdiction.
"We are part of a new worldwide movement campaigning for peace and against oppression and injustice. That movement was born out of, and in opposition to, the destructive so-called "war against terrorism." I have been involved in the establishment of a European Network for Peace and Human Rights, an international organisation to bring together peace groups all over the world.
"I am very grateful to our friends from Israel and Palestine, and from Kurdistan and Cuba for coming to our conference to tell us about their situation and what more we can do to help achieve peace. I can promise them that in this conference you won’t hear fine words and then go home and hear nothing of us again. Our members are passionate and active supporters of your causes and we will take whatever action is within our power to help resolve problems."
Diwedd/Ends.
-- andreas
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