French Nuclear Testing

Movers George, I.G.C.

That this General Synod declares its conviction that humans are stewards of God’s creation and therefore deplores the resumption of nuclear weapons testing by France and China and:

A. Calls upon the Australian Government to make every effort to:
1. ensure that a comprehensive test ban treaty is negotiated in 1996 or as soon as possible,
2. ensure that this treaty is followed by progressive dismantling of nuclear weapons stockpiles by the
weapons states and the consumption of all weapons-grade fissile materials in the civil nuclear fuel cycle,
3. dissuade France and China from their weapons tests, and
4. encourage Israel, Pakistan and India to accept the full provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty as soon as possible.

B. It also:
1. declares its support for the stand of the Evangelical church of French Polynesia and the Pacific Conference
of Churches condemning the French Government’s decision to resume nuclear testing, and for the peoples of Tahiti and other South Pacific nations in any peaceful move to prevent testing at Mururoa,
2. supports the Australian Government in any move to end military cooperation with France,
3. calls on the Government to consider seriously sending an unarmed vessel to Mururoa as a witness to
peace and a sign of opposition to the French action, and
4. calls on members of Synod and others to write to the French and Chinese Ambassadors in Canberra to
make their views known on this issue.

C. And further, this Synod asks the General Secretary to pass copies of this motion to the Prime Minister,
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the French Ambassador to Australia and President Chirac.
Carried without dissent
[The Most Reverend I.G.C. George – 7-7-95]


Resolution year: 1995
Resolution number: 69/95