Kære fredsvenner og politisk medansvarlige.

Tony Blair
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA
United Kingdom

George Bush
The White House
Washington DC 20500
USA

"We, the undersigned, believe that missile defence systems while
re-defining deterrence are nevertheless part of a discredited security paradigm
and will lead to greater global instability. As the large majority of states
agree, the alternative based on treaties, respect for international law, conflict
prevention and the United Nations in the context of a multi-polar
world should be pursued with vigour.

In particular the attempt by the United States to develop a 'national
missile defence' system is a misguided response to the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and, indeed, will
provoke a new nuclear arms race.

President Bush's determination to deploy a "layered" missile defence
system, costing several hundred billion dollars, will contribute significantly
to the development of long-reach full spectrum military dominance by the US
and the weaponisation of Space. Other states and alliances, such as NATO,
which are working with the US on the theatre missile defence "layers" are
also contributing to the threat to global security.

Even a limited US missile defence system will result in Russia
heightening the alert status of its nuclear arsenal, deploying new multiple warheads
and withdrawing from START. China, then India and Pakistan, will
accelerate their nuclear weapon programmes. Other countries may well pursue the
development of weapons of mass destruction.

Pursuit by the US of missile defence undermines existing international
arms control agreements. It signals not only a willingness to abandon the
ABM Treaty but also a general rejection of treaties and threatens the
Outer Space Treaty and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Missile defence
is incompatible with the NPT commitment to achieve the global abolition
of nuclear weapons, not only for the US but also for the UK if it gives 
permission for the use of Fylingdales and Menwith Hill.

In declaring our opposition to missile defence we call on the US and
other states to abandon their misguided plans and focus on the abolition of
weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems through diplomacy,
unilateral initiatives and multilateral treaties.

In particular we call on the UK government to take the lead in this by
communicating clearly to the US government that it will not be allowed
the use of bases in Britain as part of its missile defence system."

Signature