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Archbishop hits out over Trident | Archbishop hits out over Trident |
(about 17 hours later) | |
The leader of the Anglican Church in Wales, Archbishop Barry Morgan, has hit out at plans to upgrade the UK's Trident nuclear missile system. | |
Dr Morgan said the £25bn costs could prevent 16,000 children dying each day from diseases caused by contaminated water and malnutrition. | |
The comments were contained in a speech to the church's governing body. | |
Tony Blair has said a decision on the missile system's future will be made by the end of the year. | Tony Blair has said a decision on the missile system's future will be made by the end of the year. |
The 280-strong governing body made up of members representing all six dioceses of the Church in Wales, meets twice a year. | The 280-strong governing body made up of members representing all six dioceses of the Church in Wales, meets twice a year. |
Details of the archbishop's speech were released ahead of the two-day gathering at the University of Wales, Lampeter. The body will debate the issue on Thursday. | |
New impetus | New impetus |
The archbishop stressed the views on the nuclear deterrent represent his own personal opinions and not those 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," he said. | |
We do tolerate hunger, poverty and impure water, and are prepared to contemplate spending our resources on weapons of mass destruction Archbishop Barry Morgan Churches against Trident | We do tolerate hunger, poverty and impure water, and are prepared to contemplate spending our resources on weapons of mass destruction Archbishop Barry Morgan Churches against Trident |
"With that kind of money we could prevent 16,000 children dying every day from diseases caused by impure water and malnutrition. | "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. | "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. | "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." | "But we do tolerate hunger, poverty and impure water, and are prepared to contemplate spending our resources on weapons of mass destruction." |
The archbishop went on to argue against renewal. | |
He said Trident is an "anomaly" in the post-Cold War era when the UK no longer is faced with a direct nuclear threat. | |
He contended that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the UK should not replace Trident but take a "leading role" towards nuclear disarmament. | |
"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," the archbishop said. |
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