Archbishop of Wales Criticises Trident

The Anglican Archbishop of Wales is to speak out against plans by the British government to renew the Trident nuclear missile system. His remarks come as Scottish church leaders called on the Scottish Parliament and Westminster to drop the Trident missiles and any plans for renewal.

The comments by Archbishop Dr Barry Morgan are part of a planned speech to the Church in Wales' 280-strong governing body.

|PIC1|He stressed, however, that the comments reflect his own personal opinion and are not intended to express the view of the Church he leads.

"I would like to express my own concern about the government's apparent commitment to a long-term replacement for the Trident weapons system," the archibishop will say.

With that kind of money we could prevent 16,000 children dying every day from diseases caused by impure water and malnutrition.

"The deaths of 16,000 children a day is the equivalent of 40 jumbo jets crashing every day of every week.

"Our world would not tolerate that - just look at what happens when our airports grind to a halt.

"But we do tolerate hunger, poverty and impure water, and are prepared to contemplate spending our resources on weapons of mass destruction."

He will further urge the UK to take a "leading role" in nuclear disarmament instead of making plans to update its nuclear arsenal.

"I do not see how we can say to Iran that it ought not to have nuclear weapons whilst at the same time replacing ours," he will say.

Meanwhile, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Alan McDonald, and the Archbishop of Glasgow, Dr Mario Conti, recently joined marchers taking part in the Long Walk for Peace from Faslane to the Scottish Parliament.

The campaigners arrived in Edinburgh yesterday at the completion of their 85-mile trek, ending with a rally held to call and end the UK nuclear deterrent.

The UK Government will decide before the end of 2006 whether Britain will continue to have nuclear weapons and whether to build new submarines to replace Trident.

Parliamentary Minister Margaret Curran spoke to anti-Trident demonstrators outside Holyrood.

Ms Curran said the views would be passed on to Westminster where the UK Government has responsibility for defence decisions.

The Rt Reverend Alan McDonald, started out with the marchers, rejoining them in the capital, along with Roman Catholic Cardinal Keith O'Brien and the Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh, the Right Reverend Brian Smith, and representatives from Islamic and Quaker communities.

Mr McDonald said "Since 1981 the Church of Scotland has said, time and again, that nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction are morally and theologically wrong.

"We know the decision will be taken in Westminster, but this parliament can speak for itself and is able to say whatever it likes.

"There would be huge moral authority and theological authority if this parliament was to say to 'no' Trident."

Cardinal O'Brien told protesters: "I hope by our presence here today and by the walk you have completed, we give voice to hope and remind all who will listen that if nuclear war is illogical, immoral and inconceivable, then investing billions of pounds in more nuclear weapons is iniquitous, irrational and absurd."

Green MSP Chris Ballance said: "Greens, along with the majority of Scots, oppose Trident, oppose the renewal of Trident, and deplore the indiscriminate violence and carnage that nuclear weapons are designed to create.

"Nuclear weapons make us a terrorist target, create nuclear waste, are illegal and give this country a key role in maintaining one of the most immoral and brutal features of 21st Century politics."