Cogema (TOTAL): France Gives Up Rad

[cd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

things do change in FRance, slowly, but change is possible here
especially with a new socialist government, in spite of some of its
pro-nuclear ministers. therefore, we pass this on for those interested
to understand the dynamics of TOTAL and its Cogema-nuclear- shareholder
embroiled in the nuclear pro-Chirac lobby. Mr. Jean Syrota, PDG (CEO) of
Cogema, is one of the eleven board members of TOTAL (along with T
Desmarest and Serge Tchuruk (Alcatel and former TOTAL CEO, replaced by
his protege, T. Desmarest May 1995). M. Syrota is also one of the three
members of TOTAL's Auditing Committee. In 1993, TOTAL acquired 10,8 % in
the nuclear giant COGEMA, and sold its uranium interests to COGEMA. 
COGEMA has ten percent interest in TOTAL.


Environmental News wrote:
> 
> FRANCE GIVES UP RADIOACTIVE DISCHARGE
> 
> BRUSSELS, Belgium, September 5, 1997 (ENS) - France has now joined the
> United Kingdom in agreeing to a ban on the discharge of radioactive wastes
> into the sea in the north east Atlantic Ocean. The French policy about-face
> came on the final day of the meeting of the OSPAR Convention here today.
> The two countries' nuclear reprocessing plants at La Hague (COGEMA), France and
 > Sellafield and Dounreay in the UK, contribute over 90% of the
radioactivity
> discharged into the north east Atlantic region.
> 
> In an historic moment, the UK and France also gave up their opt-out on the
> OSPAR ban on ocean dumping of radioactive wastes. OSPAR officials generally
> agreed that the French and UK policy shifts are the most significant
> progress to occur at the four day meeting.
> 
> France's announcement is a giant step towards a complete ban on the dumping
> of nuclear waste in this region of the ocean. This decision will be made
> following negotiations leading to the OSPAR Ministerial Conference July 20
> to 24, 1998 in Lisbon, Portugal. Ocean protectionists hope a complete ban
> on nuclear dumping will be the highlight of Lisbon's international
> Exhibition on the Future of the Oceans that will mark the United Nations'
> "Year of the Oceans."
> 
> OSPAR is the main inter-governmental convention to regulate and control
> marine pollution in the North Sea and North Atlantic. It was signed in 1992
> and entered into force in 1997. This is a combination of the two existing
> conventions: the Oslo Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
> Dumping from Ships and Aircraft, first signed in 1972, and the Paris
> Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources,
> signed in 1974.
> 
> Fifteen European nations and the European Union are signatory to the OSPAR
> convention. There are similar regional conventions for other areas, such as
> the Baltic Sea, around the world.
> 
> The French move followed an announcement by the UK Environment Minister
> Meacher earlier this week that the UK Government policy would now be based
> on "a general presumption against sea disposal", for radioactive and
> hazardous substances and offshore installations.
> 
> "This is a considerable blow to the polluting nuclear industries at La
> Hague, Sellafield and Dounreay," said Remi Parmentier of Greenpeace
> International. "For too many years, previous UK and French Governments have
> allowed these industries to pollute our seas. This is a significant step
> forward for the governments, acknowledging that radioactive discharges are
> dangerous. The next step is for the plutonium industry in the UK and France
> to close their reprocessing plants." urged Parmentier.
> 
> Earlier this year, Greenpeace activists documented high levels of
> radioactivity in the water near the La Hague nuclear fuel reprocessing
> plant on the Atlantic coast of France.
> 
> General agreement was also reached on a new annex to the OSPAR Convention
> on the protection of marine species and habitats and on a strategy to
> combat blooms of algae in the north east Atlantic. Particularly bad off the
> coast of Finland this summer, these blooms are said to be caused by an
> over-abundance of nutrients in the water, often from run-off containing
> agricultural fertilizers.
> 
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