"Don't make North Yorkshire a military target" MEP warns Bush

12.00.00am GMT Fri 12th Jan 2001

North Yorkshire's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Diana Wallis has called on US President elect George W Bush to keep his National Missile Defence system away from Fylingdales early warning radar base.

The Euro-MP's call comes after William Hague's Conservatives decided to back plans by the incoming president to base National Missile Defence (NMD) project at the site in North Yorkshire.

"This is completely out of step with the direction of the rest of Europe and is a totally premature offer without sufficient information," Diana Wallis commented. "Turning Fylingdales into a military target with no protection in return is completely unacceptable."

The European Parliament is currently investigating the Echelon Interception System the USA are thought to be using through Menwith Hill, also in North Yorkshire, in connection with potential risks of abuse of economic information to the detriment of European commercial enterprises.

"Rather than offering immediate support, like William Hague has, we should be trying to establish just how the Americans use and intend to use both Menwith Hill and Fylingdales."