Pentagon WITHHOLDS Vieques Report

[Ecuajey]

Pentagon Withholds Results Of Vieques Alternatives Report

September 5, 2002
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SAN JUAN (AP) — Lt. Col. Dawn Cutler, spokeswoman for the U.S. Armed Forces at the Pentagon, said the Naval Analysis Center’s final report on alternate locations for the military exercises that for decades have taken place in Vieques would not be made public for the moment.

The report was supposed to be made public before the fall, but the U.S. Navy prefers not to make it public because it needs further revision, Cutler said in published reports.

"We want to be sure that it has been revised adequately. We, however, continue with our plans to end training in Vieques in May 2003," Cutler said.

The report was handed to Navy Secretary Gordon England, who preferred to describe it as a preliminary document subject to changes from the high ranking military and civil officials at the Pentagon.

Gov. Sila Calderon, on a trip to New Jersey this week, insisted that unofficially, she has been informed that the report includes adequate alternatives for the Navy.

Military officials such as Atlantic Fleet Commander Adm. Robert Natter has recognized that there are bases in southeastern U.S. states, such as Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, that are being considered as the new center of military training for the Navy.