Ludford delighted by dam report findings

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 2nd Jul 2001

London's Liberal Democrat MEP, Baroness Sarah Ludford was delighted to learn over the weekend of a report that looks set to stop the building of the Ilisu Dam.

The Sunday papers carried news of the report that was commissioned by Stephen Byers in 1999 when he was Trade and Industry Secretary. When the report was commissioned it was billed as the "definitive assessment" of the Ilisu Dam project. This view was reinforced shortly before the General Election by Richard Caborn, who was a Minister at the DTI who said that support for the Ilisu dam project was dependent on the report's findings.

The Government has now received the report and it is reported that the findings are far from positive, which should mean the end of Britain's involvement in the Ilisu Dam project.

Baroness Ludford has consistently campaigned against the building of the dam, and has repeatedly called for the Government to abandon the project.

Speaking from Strasbourg earlier today, Baroness Ludford said:

"I am delighted by news of this report and I send my warmest congratulations to those who have campaigned for so long against the dam."

"I am relieved to hear that this report has not shirked from its responsibilities and has detailed the disastrous effects that construction would have had on the area and population that surrounds the proposed dam site. There is only one small step left before this unacceptable project can be laid to rest for good, and that is for the Government to accept the report's findings and pull out of this ill-fated project immediately by refusing to provide the necessary export guarantees."

"Tony Blair must now see reason, note the report's findings and act on them immediately."