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23 Aug 2002
Friends of the Earth today slammed the Conservatives for attempting to push Tony Blair into post-colonial feuds over Zimbabwe at the Earth Summit, rather than focusing on the major issues of environmental degradation and poverty.
Mike Childs, Earth Summit Coordinator at Friends of the Earth, said:
“The Tories are wrong to say that Tony Blair should veto action to help the rest of world until the Zimbabwean crisis is sorted out. Millions of children die each year because of grinding poverty made worse by the free-trade policies pursued by western nations. Yet more will die through environmental degradation and climate change. The Earth Summit has the huge task of tackling the twin evils of environmental degradation and poverty. As US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said; tackling these issues is a “security imperative”. If the Tories really want to see the Summit succeed them they would bring forward positive policy suggestions on poverty and environmental degradation.”
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
