3 September 1995
FRENCH ACTION AGAINST GREENPEACE VESSELS
The Australian Government deplores the physical confrontation between French commandos and the civilian crews and passengers of the Rainbow Warrior II and the Greenpeace.
While the French authorities had the right under international law to intercept the Rainbow Warrior once it entered the 12 nautical mile French territorial sea and exclusion zone, the arrest of the Greenpeace just outside the zone has no obvious legal justification, and we will be seeking an explanation for it.
The French military actions graphically demonstrate the extent to which France is now prepared to go in pursuing its test program in the face of condemnation from practically the whole of the rest of the world.
We again call on the French Government to exercise restraint in the way it deals with the protests which it will inevitably face if it proceeds with its tests.
MELBOURNE