The Natural Law Party launched its UK campaign for the European Parliament today by presenting the party manifesto and announcing that it has registered a full slate of 85 candidates in the UK, ahead of tomorrow's close of nominations.
The party promises an ideal, problem-free Europe in the new millennium. The manifesto tackles all the major issues confronting the EU, including peace in the Balkans, monetary union, and agricultural policy; it offers unique, practical solutions validated by scientific research.  The manifesto also describes the party's scientifically validated programme to create peace and urges that these technologies of Natural Law must be applied immediately to resolve the crisis in Yugoslavia.

The Natural Law Party is the first political party in Europe to develop a common manifesto for the European Parliament and will be fielding over 500 candidates throughout the EU.

Presenting the manifesto to the press today, party leader Dr Geoffrey Clements said: "Three years ago the Natural Law Party was the first political party to call for an outright ban on GM food.  Now the whole trend of public opinion is with us on this issue, but at that time, few people even knew what GM food was".

"Now in 1999 people should listen to what we are saying about the crisis in Yugoslavia, because we are just as right about this issue as we were about GM foods three years ago. Unless our warnings are heeded now and our solutions are adopted now, the world will move further towards the brink of destruction."

The highlight of the manifesto launch was a special address by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose Vedic technologies of Natural Law have been the inspiration for the founding of the Natural Law Party in over 60 countries around the world. Maharishi has spoken strongly about the perilous consequences of the bombing of Yugoslavia by the UK and other NATO countries, and has warned that the destroyer will become the destroyed.

Maharishi said that the current European Union election presents a challenge to the European electorate to choose whether Europe remains a barbarian continent or steps on to a more civilised level of harmony, love, unity, and happiness. "Only through the Natural Law Party will the people of Europe be shaking hands in terms of unity. Only the Natural Law Party can ensure safety, security, peace and happiness of all European countries," Maharishi said.  "I am making a very strong appeal to every country to vote for the Natural Law Party, or the destruction that is now taking place in Yugoslavia could happen to any country.  No country is an exception. I wish for Europe to exist as Europe tomorrow.  It is in the hands of every individual if they want Europe to be inhabited by human beings.  For this we must create the administration of Natural Law and continue," Maharishi said.  One of the Party's manifesto goals is to make the European Parliament the first Parliament of World Peace, by implementing scientifically proven technologies of Natural Law to create coherence in collective consciousness, including a group of 7,000 experts in Transcendental Meditation and Yogic Flying to bring peace to the Balkans. (7,000 is the square root of 1% of the world's population - which scientific research has shown to be the proportion required to substantially eliminate negative trends in society.)

The Natural Law Party's European manifesto includes the following key policy areas:

1. To create a unified Europe, in which national sovereignty is no longer compromised for the sake of unity, by introducing Natural Law programmes that dramatically strengthen coherence and positivity in collective consciousness, thereby supporting the sovereign identity of member states while ensuring harmony between them on all matters of common interest.  Unity cannot be accomplished by political means, as demonstrated by the recent EU history; it cannot be legislated for, nor can it be legislated against.   Only Natural Law can create a united Europe of sovereign nations, just as Natural Law strengthens every cell and every organ in the body while maintaining the integration of the whole body.
   
   
2. To introduce a new structure of decision-making in the EU which replaces the principle of subsidiarity with the principle of putting first the sovereignty, independence, and self-sufficiency of member states.  Member states will have complete freedom to decide when they want to join new treaties, and will not be forced to adopt any policy they do not like.
   
   
3. To ensure the success of monetary union for those countries who have already joined, and create full employment in the EU by introducing Natural Law programmes to create stability in the economies of all member states and develop the full creative potential of every citizen. Regarding Britain joining the single currency, the Natural Law Party proposes a new criterion - economic stability - which will be achieved when national consciousness is stable and stress-free through the programmes of the Natural Law Party.   The party will hold a referendum with three options - joining the single currency, or keeping the pound, and thirdly using both with a fixed exchange rate between them.
   
   
4. To phase out agricultural subsidies over seven years, while promoting a transformation to sustainable systems of organic agriculture that are fully in accord with Natural Law and provide healthy food for everyone.  The party would impose a complete ban on GM crops and foods in the UK and throughout the EU.
   
   
5. To use structural funds more effectively by linking all aid to the implementation of Natural Law programmes that will permanently eliminate the basis of the problems for which these funds are designated.
   
   
6. To introduce foreign and defence policies that promote and maintain harmony in the whole world family of sovereign nations, particularly by maintaining on each continent a group of 7,000 experts in Natural Law. This unique programme to maintain world peace renders obsolete the present EU debate on the framework for military alliance, including the so-called "partnership for peace".
   
   
7. To create a more efficient government in Europe and reduce the EU bureaucracy dramatically by introducing Natural Law programmes to create "Automation in Administration" - using Nature's "principle of least action" which achieves maximum with minimum effort.

Copies of the manifesto are available. For names of candidates and leaders of regional lists, see contact numbers on right.