(March 13, 1998) Dear friends, please find next a sign-on text to the EBRD in wich we demand the different Executive Directors of the EBRD to stand by the conclusions of the Panel (see for the whole background see WISE NC 483/484, December 19, 1997: 'Blackmailing the word with fear') and no longer consider funding K2/R4.
Coming March 25, the Board of the EBRD will have their so-called 'workshop' n wich they will discuss the matter. The 'YES' or 'NO' of the EBRD is crucial. Although the Ukraine claims that they will go on anyway (with Russian financial help) is to be expected that a 'NO' from the EBRD will be the end of the project.
SO WE ASK YOU TO PRINT THE NEXT LETTER, put in the name of 'your' executive, make another copy for the alternate director (if there is one), undersign the letter (preferable with your organisations name) and FAX it today to the EBRD. (most executive's have more than one country for whom they are the representative, if you're from a country not represented in the EBRD - address the fax general, of course you're also free to make an own text)
Additional information can also be found at www.ecn.cz/k2r4.
Let's make it happen!
Thanks
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Headquarters: One Exchange Square, London EC2A 2EH, United Kingdom
Tel: +44-171-338 6000; Fax: +44-171-338 6100
List of directors and the countries they are representing: first Constituencies, than Directors, than Alternate Directors
- Poland, Bulgaria, Albania: Jan Bielecki, Bojidar Kabakt- chiev
- France: Lucien Bernadine
- Canada, Morocco: Tom MacDonald
- Sweden, Iceland, Estonia: Staffan Crona, Baldur Erlingsson
- Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia: Torsten Gersfelt, Tony Brown
- Switzerland, Turkey, Liechtenstein, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan: Wilhelm Jaggi, Mehmet Kaytaz
- Russian Federation, Belarus, Tajikistan: Mikhail Jernov, Michail Tatianchenko
- Austria, Israel, Cyprus, Malta, Kazakhstan: Heiner Luschin, Amos Rubin,
- United Kingdom: Michael McCulloch, Alex Gibbs
- Finland, Norway, Latvia: Kari Nars, Rolf Ncss
- Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Croatia: Károly Soos
- Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia: Yuri Poluneev, Maria Sultanoiu
- Italy: Enzo Quattrociocche, Pasquale Terracciano
- Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt: Huhn-Gunn Ro, Jim Short - United States of America: Karen Shepherd
- Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia: Bernard Snoy, Georges Heinen
- Portugal, Greece: Fernando Soares Carneiro, Stefanos Vavali- dis
- Japan: Kazuhito Tatebe, Takashi Kurai
- Spain, Mexico: Carlos Escribano, Miguel Valle
- Netherlands: Pim van Ballekom, Kees Spaans
- Germany: Günter Winkelmann, Jörg Ranau
- European Investment Bank: Roger Lavelle, Walter Cernoia,
- European Community: Philippe Petit-Laurent, Vassili Lelakis
To: EBRD Executive-Director
Concern: K2/R4 completion
Dear Mr or Ms
After some 40 years of experience there are more than enough reasons for any person, government or civil body in this world to stop the usage of nuclear power to meet the basic needs of any nation. There is enough evidence that nuclear is not only dangerous for mankind but also expensive, a threat for peace, disrupting social and civil society, undemocratic and disas- trous for the environment.
After the disaster in Chernobyl the western world promised to take action; Soviet-build reactors would be closed as soon as technical possible, by providing huge financial compensation and helping the concerned countries building a modern, environ- mental sound- and safe energy future.
Unfortunately now it seems that governments and banks have succesfully been put under pressure by the nuclear industry. One of the issues wich draws big concern at the moment is the financing by, among others, the EBRD of the so-called K2 and R4 reactor in the Ukraine.
As quite some environmental organisations in the world are working on this issue we are pretty sure you are aware of the more specific arguments against the deal now in discussion. One of the most important is the very clear and thorougly research- ed understanding that Ukraine does not need additional nuclear power to meet electricity demand now or in the future.
Furthermore, it is our believe and fear, that ones the K2-R4 deal is approved there will be no reason for the Ukrainian government to close the Chernobyl-3 reactor in the year 2000, as promised. Why should they? The two replacements blocks will not be on line in time. Chernobyl will remain grid-connected for several more years, putting the world even more in danger.
We all know from experiences, not only in the West, that there are more economic, safe and sound- energy solutions, to be implemented in a far shorter time.
We ask and demand: Take your responsibility, read the conclu- sions of the Surrey-Panel, make up your mind and take the only decision possible;
"K2-R4 will not be financed by the EBRD. Instead we will adress our resources to help the Ukrainian people and government lead their energy-system in a more sustainable direction."
We believe it is an urgent matter, we count on you !!
Yours sincerely,