Hoon leaves Star Wars questions unanswered during visit (From Gazette & Herald)

Hoon leaves Star Wars questions unanswered during visit

A WHISTLESTOP visit to the area by defence secretary Geoff Hoon to discuss fears about the Son of Star Wars missile defence scheme has left peace campaigners frustrated.

On Monday, amid a heavy police presence, he attended meetings in Goathland, near RAF Fylingdales, which would play a crucial role in America's proposed missile defence system, and also in York.

In an interview with our sister paper, the Evening Press, he sought to dismiss fears that the project would make Fylingdales a target for any state planning a strike on America. He said that North Yorkshire would be a safer place if Britain signs up to the project.

He argued that Britain stood to gain by being covered by missile defence. If it were, "not only would the radar detect incoming missiles, there would also, if we judged it in our interests to do so, be the possibility of us being able to intercept those incoming missiles".

Local residents, who met the minister at a pub in Goathland, said afterwards that they were disappointed because he did not seem to have heard what they had to say.

Goathland resident Jackie Fearnley, from Fylingdales Action Network, said: "I don't think anyone thought he had really taken on board the points we were trying to make."

Tom Chadwick, from Environet, an environmental monitoring organisation, said: "The meeting was not what most people imagined it would be. The format was that when Geoff Hoon answered a question, no one was given any opportunity to come back."

And there was similar criticism from members of an invited audience at a meeting held at the National Early Music Centre in York.

Yorkshire CND worker Denise Craghill claimed: "This was all part of a disingenuous attempt by this government to spin the story on Fylingdales, as they do on many other things."

Peace campaigner Joyce Pickard said: "I am grateful that he came but I am highly suspicious of the present US administration."

Green Party member Andy D'Agorne said: "Clearly the majority of the audience were not convinced, even though many were local Labour Party members."

But Bob Burrows, chairman of the York branch of the Royal British Legion, said: "My view is that if we can get help from the US we should take it, they have been allies to us for a long time."

Mr Hoon said no decision had yet been made over Fylingdales. He said he wanted to hear people's views and revealed there would be a debate in Parliament on January 22.

He said the Government would make a decision on Fylingdales "well before the end of this year".

York MP Hugh Bayley, who had invited Mr Hoon to come and listen to the people of North Yorkshire, agreed rogue states were highly unlikely to target Fylingdales.

"They would try to make Britain change its policy by threatening to attack urban areas. So I think the chance of an attack on Fylingdales is low, but we can't rule it out."

Mr Hoon said he had discussed planning issues with representatives of the North York Moors National Park.

He added: "But let me make it clear, we are talking about a software upgrade. We are talking about something that would only affect the internal workings of Fylingdales.

"We're not proposing anything that has an external impact."

Updated: 10:49 Wednesday, January 08, 2003