Dei vil gjerne ha ut dei britiske soldatane frå Irland, au.
Magnus Bernhardsen
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CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION
NORWAY BARS BRITISH TROOPS
Last week the Norwegian government barred British troops from participation
in a NATO exercise (Exercise Joint Winter 2001) because of concerns
over foot and mouth disease .
Approximately three hundred troops had been scheduled to join 1500
British troops, already in Norway since before the foot and mouth
outbreak, but strict measures introduced by Britain's NATO partner
saw led to their deployment being cancelled.
In addition, a quantity of equipment to support the troops already
in Norway including helicopters was subject to restriction. The helicopters,
it is reported, were thoroughly disinfected before being allowed in.
Paradoxically, whilst the British and Norwegians are cooperating so
thoroughly to eliminate risk, military deployment by the British Army
is continuing in the area around the contaminated farm in South Armagh.
Furthermore, military helicopter traffic between Britain and Ireland
- which occasionally drops in at the airfield in the Isle of Man -
appears to be unaffected. The helicopter units are deployed as part
of the military effort in N. Ireland in the contaminated area.
A few days ago the Celtic League received an e-mail from the South
Armagh Farmers and Residents Group which confirmed that foot patrols
and dozens of helicopter landings were taking place in the South
Armagh area.
The situation poses a two-way threat. Military traffic between Britain
and Ireland could give the disease a free ticket to enter uncontaminated
areas.
Perhaps we are overreacting, However it seems strange that NATO can
agree restrictions on military exercises and equipment several hundred
miles away from the United Kingdom in Norway whilst it is "business
as usual" in the UK.
Bernard Moffatt
Secretary General
Celtic League
14/03/01
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Mar 16 2001 - 14:42:44 MET