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PRESS RELEASE FASLANE ACADEMIC BLOCKADE AND CONFERENCE Faslane, near Glasgow, June 27-28, 2007 Over 40 academics and students will gather at the nuclear base of Faslane in Scotland on June 27th-28th, for an action that combines academic discussion with non-violent direct action. The initiative is the second of its kind, and follows up on the successful and much publicised academic seminar held at Faslane in January 2007. It is part of the ongoing campaign Faslane 365, a yearlong blockade of the base. Thousands of activists have participated and more than 750 people have been arrested since the start of the campaign on October 1st , 2006. Participating in the academic blockade/conference are scholars and students from universities across the UK, Sweden, Spain and other countries. They are experts in areas as diverse as international relations, environmental impacts of the base, economic impacts, UK nuclear policies, and the history of protest. Faslane hosts the Trident system which carries 200 warheads, 58 US missiles and 4 nuclear-powered submarines. The participants believe that Britain should comply with its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968, according to which it commits to working towards global nuclear disarmament. The Trident system not only goes against international agreements, it is also a waste of environmental and human resources, and does not benefit the Scottish economy. It makes Britain a more dangerous rather than a safer place. The British government has recently decided to upgrade the Trident system: this will divert enormous resources from tackling urgent social and environmental problems, and will encourage others to continue down the nuclear path. The participants believe it is essential to maintain public pressure, to keep the debate going, and to remind those in power that the majority of Scots are opposed to Trident. For more information contact Douglas Lonie: E-mail: [log in to unmask] Mobile: 07809 441 378 Web: http://www.faslane365.org/en/academics_and_scholars