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| Pilots call for climate meeting | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Airline pilots have asked climate change protesters at Heathrow Airport to take part in "peace talks" over climate change issues. | |
| Campaigners protesting against Heathrow's planned expansion say they have drawn up a list of targets for "direct action". | |
| Pilots say "an informed debate" about the issue would be better than the campaigners embarking on any action. | |
| But protesters said they could not halt their weekend plans to meet pilots. | |
| About 800 protesters are camped outside the airport's northern perimeter fence. Heathrow Airport is run by BAA. | |
| We would like to meet them to try to reach a consensus, to have an informed debate Captain Mervyn Granshaw, British Airline Pilots' Association | |
| Chairman of the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa), Captain Mervyn Granshaw, said. "We would like to come to a common understanding about carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft. | |
| "In our recent report, Aviation And The Environment, we laid out the facts that aircrafts are minor polluters, that air travel is not the fastest-growing source of emissions and that most flights, compared with other transport modes, are green. | |
| "The eco-warriors and some environmental groups disagree. We would like to meet them to try to reach a consensus, to have an informed debate," he said. | |
| He added he wanted the talks to take place as quickly as possible. | |
| More campaigners expected | |
| But a camp spokesman said protesters were planning their direct action and would be unable to meet pilots this weekend. | |
| Ben Healey said: "We're more than happy to discuss the science of climate change with anybody, but right now we're caught up planning for tomorrow's direct action. | |
| "After the climate change camp is over we will meet them." | |
| Earlier, protesters' spokeswoman Sophie Stephens told the BBC campaigners were going to "lay siege" to BAA's headquarters. | |
| Their grievance was not with passengers but with the air industry, she added. | Their grievance was not with passengers but with the air industry, she added. |
| Organisers expect up to 2,000 people to take part in the protest at the camp this weekend, between the M4 motorway and the airport's northern perimeter in west London. | Organisers expect up to 2,000 people to take part in the protest at the camp this weekend, between the M4 motorway and the airport's northern perimeter in west London. |
| The protesters want Heathrow's planned expansion halted because, they say, it will contribute to climate change. | The protesters want Heathrow's planned expansion halted because, they say, it will contribute to climate change. |
| Map of proposed Heathrow expansion and climate camp | Map of proposed Heathrow expansion and climate camp |
| Ms Stephens said a number of types of action had been planned. | Ms Stephens said a number of types of action had been planned. |
| "We are going to begin the action by leaving the camp and marking out, physically, the site and the line of the proposed third runway," she said. | "We are going to begin the action by leaving the camp and marking out, physically, the site and the line of the proposed third runway," she said. |
| She confirmed the airport's freight terminal would also be targeted because campaigners claim food produce is being unnecessarily flown into Britain from "all corners of the world". | She confirmed the airport's freight terminal would also be targeted because campaigners claim food produce is being unnecessarily flown into Britain from "all corners of the world". |
| Climate change was "the biggest global social justice issue of our time" and campaigners were looking to take "proportionate action", she said. | Climate change was "the biggest global social justice issue of our time" and campaigners were looking to take "proportionate action", she said. |
| But holidaymakers were not the group's target, she added. | But holidaymakers were not the group's target, she added. |
| Police deployment | Police deployment |
| "Our quarrel, of course, is not with passengers going on holiday, it is with BAA, it is with government and corporations who are driving these crazy decisions." | "Our quarrel, of course, is not with passengers going on holiday, it is with BAA, it is with government and corporations who are driving these crazy decisions." |
| Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur warned on Thursday that the protests had been infiltrated by troublemakers who were "quite happy to break the law". | Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur warned on Thursday that the protests had been infiltrated by troublemakers who were "quite happy to break the law". |
| But protest organisers said the Met officer's comments were "ludicrous" and "part of a smear campaign". | But protest organisers said the Met officer's comments were "ludicrous" and "part of a smear campaign". |
| About 1,800 officers are to be deployed on Sunday and Monday, when the main demonstrations are planned. | About 1,800 officers are to be deployed on Sunday and Monday, when the main demonstrations are planned. |
| Police say the protesters are on the site - a sports ground belonging to Imperial College London - illegally. | Police say the protesters are on the site - a sports ground belonging to Imperial College London - illegally. |
| The campaigners insist they cannot be evicted without a court order as long as no criminal damage is committed. | The campaigners insist they cannot be evicted without a court order as long as no criminal damage is committed. |
| So far there have been 21 arrests. | So far there have been 21 arrests. |
| Airport operator BAA has obtained a High Court injunction banning certain protest groups from the airport. | Airport operator BAA has obtained a High Court injunction banning certain protest groups from the airport. |
| A fifth terminal will open at Heathrow in March 2008 and a new runway has been proposed by the government for about 2020. | A fifth terminal will open at Heathrow in March 2008 and a new runway has been proposed by the government for about 2020. |
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