Europe to debate 'Balkans syndrome'

STRASBOURG, France -- Members of the European Parliament are to debate calls for the suspension of the use of depleted uranium-tipped missiles amid fears over a link to cancer-related illnesses.

The meeting in Strasbourg will be addressed by European security chief Javier Solana, who was the figurehead of NATO during the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia as its secretary general.

NATO said on Tuesday that data from its 19 member states showed no link between depleted uranium (DU) munitions and so-called "Balkans Syndrome" cancers, but did recommend further scientific studies to try to explain illnesses among soldiers who served in Bosnia and Kosovo.

The European Parliament will vote on Wednesday on a motion -- backed by major political parties -- for a suspension on the use of DU ammunition until investigations have proved that it is safe for troops to use.

The debate comes as Britain's Gulf War commander called for a full public inquiry into the health scare over DU shells.

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General Sir Peter de la Billiere told the BBC veterans should be compensated by their government if claims that the ammunition causes illness were true.

He added that it was "critically important" to discover whether a link exists or not because if there is not, the military would want to go on using the equipment.

The European Parliament motion, which is non-binding on EU governments, "calls on member states that are also NATO members to propose that a moratorium be placed on the use of depleted uranium munitions."

It also urges EU governments to hold a debate as part of action to establish a new European security and defence policy and says there should be an independent working party to examine medical evidence.

EU officials say the motion has a good chance of passing, although parties are divided and many MEPs believe the call for a moratorium goes too far.

But NATO assurances on DU munitions have failed to calm an international uproar, with Yugoslavia's President Vojislav Kostunica accusing those of using the weapon as having a "depleted conscience."

After two weeks of mounting controversy, NATO says its chief medical officers had compared evidence and seen nothing that pointed to a serious health risk from depleted uranium munitions used in the Gulf War and the Balkans.

"We cannot identify any increase in disease or mortality in soldiers who have deployed to the Balkans as compared to those soldiers who have not deployed," NATO medical committee chairman General Roger Van Hoof said.

"On the evidence available, a causal link cannot be identified between depleted uranium and the complaints or pathologies."

Studies from both governmental and independent sources showed "any danger related to depleted uranium exposure is known to be quantity-dependent, and so far there is no evidence of possible exposure beyond the safe levels," he added.

Depleted uranium, the by-product of manufacturing nuclear fuel and explosives, is used to add density and penetrative power to ammunition.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Kostunica: NATO's 'depleted conscience'
January 16, 2001
Call to test Balkans soldiers
January 16, 2001
Uranium arms warning issued in 1991
Use of DU weapons could be war crime
NATO blamed for 400 cancer deaths
Germany issues uranium 'all clear'
U.N. plays down ammunition risk
January 12, 2001

UN Environment Programme: Balkans
World Health Organisation
U.S. Dept of Energy: Depleted Uranium
NATO
UK Ministry of Defence
UK Atomic Energy Authority
European Parliament
European Parliament of Socialists

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