Dear Colleagues,

This is an update on the first international environmetal lawsuit in The
Hague. The lawsuit will rule on  the destruction of the Szigetkoz wetland
region and the of Danube ecosystem.

* In April, for the first time in the history of the International Court 
of
Justice ICJ), all the judges will visit the Szigetkoz (the so called 
"island
region" where there is not a single island left as the water has 
disappeared
and where children get sick, if they swim in the open sewer, which 
replaced
the Danube). 
         An international environmental demonstration is being organized 
to
meet the members of the Court in the Szigetkoz on that day. Please help to
make this the biggest environmental demonstration ever. Please be there. 

* Our web-page at: http://www.goodpoint.com/duna.htm
has been expanded with maps, form letters, and a description of the Slovak
and Hungarian positions in The Hague. Please visit us. 

* A letter campaign is under way. Its aim is to have Vice President Gore
) reveive the representatives of the 
Foundation
to Protect the Hungarian Environment and after being briefed by us, have 
him
lead the effort to save the Blue Danube. If you agree with this goal, 
please
send the attached letter to the Vice President.

* I will be traveling for the next 2 weeks, but if you need more 
information
about the Danube lawsuit, you can contact Peter Orban at:


Best regards: Bela Liptak

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Letter to Vice President Al Gore
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The Honorable Al Gore
Vice President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20001
)

Dear Mr. Vice President, 

On the 21st of August, 1993, you wrote to professor Bela Liptak about your
concern for the Danube ecosystem. Today, mankind is approaching an 
important
precedent: On the 3rd of March, 1997 the International Court of Justice 
will
start the first international environmental lawsuit in The Hague.
       The ICJ will decide a case involving the Danube and the destruction 
of
its ancient wetland region: the Szigetkoz. This name, losely translated,
means:  The region of a thousand islands,  yet today there is not a single
island left there, because the water is gone. Still, the implications of 
this
case go beyond the future of just one river or just the 400 endangered
species of one ancient ecosystem.
      This lawsuit will set a precedent for the whole planet and will 
decide
on a much more basic question:  Do national governments have the right to 
do
as they please with our ecosystems, or does mankind as a whole have a 
right
to protect the rich natural treasures, which belong to all of us?
      Mr. Vice President, in 1995, nine international environmental NGOs 
have
submitted a memorial to ICJ, which its president, the Honorable Mohammed
Bedjaoui has accepted. A Compromise Plan was also submitted to the Court,
which would guarantee the restoration of the ancient Szigetkoz wetlands,
together with fulfilling the water- supply, shipping and energy needs of 
the
region. For details of this plan and for other aspects of the lawsuit, 
please
visit the web-site at: http://www.goodpoint.com/duna.htm
      Dear Mr. Gore. It is very important that the first international
environmental lawsuit be given the attention it deserves by the media. The
Foundation to Protect the Hungarian Environment can inform you of the 
issues
of the case. We ask you to give them the opportunity to meet with you.
Afterwards, a statement by you, would guarantee the attention of the media
and the focusing of world public opinion on this critical case. We, the
undersigned environmentalists support that request and ask you to make 
that
statement.

Respectfully yours,

Your name, address and affiliation