PRESS RELEASE(94)86                  22nd September 1994


          MEETING OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS FROM NATO AND 
         COOPERATION PARTNER COUNTRIES ON DEFENCE RELATED 
               CROSS-BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

The fifth meeting of the CCMS (Committee on the
Challenges of Modern Society) Pilot Study on
"Cross-Border Environmental Problems Emanating from
Defence-Related Installations and Activities",  led
jointly by Norway and Germany, will be held in Cherbourg,
France, on  26-28 September 1994.  

This study was launched within the framework of the
Workplan of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council.  It
focuses on pollution caused by radioactive materials and
chemicals related to defence activities.  The
geographical areas covered by the project are the Barents
and Kara Seas, the Baltic Region and the Black Sea
including the Danube Catchment.

The pilot study has involved the active participation of
defence and environmental establishments in Alliance and
Cooperation Partner countries.  The information gathering
phase of the study has been completed successfully.  One
result of the study has been to show that at present the
level of radioactive contamination in the Barents and
Kara Seas is quite low but that there is a potential risk
for the future.  A proposed second phase of the pilot
study will focus mainly on risks posed in this area by
the decommissioning and storage of nuclear reactors.

Participating countries are: Belarus, Belgium, Canada,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Slovak Republic, Turkey, Ukraine and USA.  UK and Japan
are observers.

An on the record press briefing will be held by the
co-chairs of this study, Mr. Sverre Stub and Dr. Hermann
Martens, at the Cherbourg University Campus on Tuesday
September 27, 1994, at 16:30 hrs.  

For further information please contact Mr. Pierre
Guegueniat at fax no.:  int'l  33-33.01.41.30.