Flotilla on station as N-ships steam by

By JOHN ARMSTRONG and ANNE BESTON

Two British ships carrying a cargo of nuclear fuels to Japan have already steamed through a large chunk of the Tasman Sea and are expected to pass a small protest flotilla stationed off Norfolk Island today.

Government spokesmen said yesterday that the vessels had so far kept well outside the 200-mile New Zealand zone and were heading for South Pacific waters via the 75 nautical miles of international waters between Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, where New Zealand yachts plan to greet them with a "protest chain."

The Nuclear-free Tasman Flotilla intends to form a symbolic chain across 75 nautical miles of ocean, with boats at intervals of six to 10 miles.

The protest group, made up of seven New Zealand and Australian yachts with about 35 crew on board, say they will unfurl an anti-nuclear banner 40m long but will not obstruct or intercept the ships.

Until now, New Zealand has been tracking the ships via satellite intelligence. However, an Air Force Orion will likely monitor the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal more closely from today as the vessels continue to skirt New Zealand's exclusive economic zone.

Under international law, the nuclear fuels shipment cannot be banned from the zone, but New Zealand has been given assurances the vessels will stay out.

Flotilla spokesman Henk Haazen said the protesters would radio both ships to send an anti-nuclear message but the yachts would not get too close. "It depends on the weather. If it's clear and calm we can probably get quite close but we have no intention of interfering with the safe operation of these ships."

Mr Haazen said high winds and big seas had made life uncomfortable for the past few days but yesterday things had calmed.

The weather forecast was for squalls and overcast skies.

The shipment of mixed uranium and plutonium oxide fuel bound for Japan has slowed in recent days, but is expected to reach the protest flotilla this afternoon.

The consignment is a joint undertaking by the British Government-owned British Nuclear Fuels, France's state-owned Cogema and the Overseas Reprocessing Committee, a consortium of 10 Japanese electricity companies.

Rather than just being nuclear waste, this cargo is capable of being converted into nuclear weapons and is seen as an affront to New Zealand's drive for a nuclear-free region.

The Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal are 104m long and 16m wide. One carries the shipment, the other acts as escort.