Uranium weapons health threat talks set
Nato and the European Union will hold separate meetings this week to discuss the possible health threat posed by depleted uranium ammunition used by Western forces in the Balkans.
Swedish defence minister Bjoern von Sydow has cautioned against expecting quick answers to the question of whether depleted uranium ammunition has been responsible for a rise in cancer cases among veterans of Balkan peacekeeping missions.
The German defence ministry has confirmed that Nato warned in July 1999 of the possible dangers from depleted uranium ammunition in the Balkans and called for proper precautionary steps to be taken.
Mr von Sydow said: "It's not easy to find a definitive conclusion soon to this problem, but the process will start tomorrow (Tuesday)."
Mr Von Sydow, whose country holds the current EU presidency, says the issue has been added to the agenda of the meeting of the EU's political and security committee at the request of Belgium and Greece.
The Nato political committee will also discuss the depleted uranium issue the same day. Mr Von Sydow says he will also discuss the issue with Lord Robertson when the Nato secretary-general visits Stockholm.
Belgium and Greece are among European countries concerned that cases of cancer found among military personnel in the Balkans may have been caused by radioactive material used in armour-piecing shells fired by Nato forces during the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999.
Several countries have begun screening their Balkan peacekeeping veterans for signs of contamination.
The Berliner Morgenpost newspaper says that it has obtained a document from the ministry dated July 16, 1999 stating that Nato had warned soldiers and aid workers of "possible toxic threat" and advised them to take "preventative measures."
Despite that, the document says Nato planned no further moves itself, according to the newspaper.
