ON May 30 I attended a 'question time' gathering at Kirkbymoorside Memorial Hall at which the four Ryedale parliamentary election candidates answered questions from those attending.

Mr John Greenway MP, in response to a question on National Missile Defence, ie the United States Star Wars Programme which the Bush administration has resurrected, inferred that the response he received in Parliament on May 3 to his questions about radar installations, which might be installed at RAF Flyingdales as part of the NMD network, was that nothing was certain about what was being done "indeed there may not be any radar installations at all in Fylingdales!"

However, what Mr Greenway actually asked in the House (from Hansard, whole debate available on internet) was (to Robin Cook):

"Will he take this opportunity to confirm that although no definitive proposals have been put to Government by America, the clear intention is that the role of Fylingdales will remain limited to early warning stations and that there is no question of siting missiles or interceptors in North Yorkshire."

Robin Cook's reply was: "At no stage has anybody in the debate - either in the United States or Europe - suggested that interceptor missiles be based in Britain or Europe. The Hon Gentleman is right, no precise proposal has been put to us and no decision has been taken on what the response would be, or indeed where any such facility would be based. It would not necessarily be Fylingdales."

It is obvious that the situation is wide open and outline proposals (a bit like the outline planning permission which they do not need) are on the table.

In the meantime it appears that Mr Greeenway has canvassed his so-called 'majority who are in favour of RAF Fylingdales' with fictional fears of missiles based there, which of course he can allay, and assurances of "only early warning stations" (plural!).

Cook's words "not necessarily at Fylingdales" could of course mean key installations may be placed at Menwith Hill near Harrogate, but if the USA should prevail, we could end up with a massive X-band radar installation at RAF (USAF??) Fylingdales which would be the prime target in the world for a 'provoked' rogue state.

The USA Republican government appears prepared to throw out all our successful world efforts towards global peace and hard-won treaties in order to achieve military domination of the world from space.

Updated: 14:44 Thursday, June 14, 2001