The shots fired across the stern of the Greenpeace ship Solo and arrest of the crew by Russian coast guards off Novaya Zemlya were by no means a novelty to this maverick environmental group.


Greenpeace, a Dutch-based organization, is well known for the unconventional methods it uses to draw attention to the sorry state of the world environment. The organization has succeeded in upsetting many Western governments and multinational companies. Members of Greenpeace have tied themselves to sewer pipes, thrown themselves in front of whale catchers and prevented nuclear dumping in the North Sea by using small rubber boats.


This has triggered police and military action by several governments. The French went as far to blow up a Greenpeace ship in the Pacific in an undercover operation, killing one of its crew members.


So the Russian government finds itself in "good company" now that it has taken action against the Solo and its crew.


This is by no means to say that the Russian government did the right thing by firing at an unarmed vessel. First of all, Greenpeace maintains that the first shots were fired while the Solo was still in international waters. Secondly, there are very good reasons for the Solo's presence in the cold Arctic waters.


In previous decades the island of Novaya Zemlya was reportedly used as a nuclear dumping ground for the Soviet Navy. Off the island's shores lies a nuclear-powered attack submarine, dumped in shallow waters. Russian authorities have recently stated that there is no cause for alarm, despite persistent rumors that radioactive materials have leaked into the Arctic waters. It would be nice to have this confirmed by independent sources.


Greenpeace says the Soviet authorities, besides the submarine, dumped 15 nuclear reactors and 17, 000 containers of nuclear waste in the area, making it the world's largest nuclear dump at sea.


Given Greenpeace's track record in researching nuclear contamination, the Russian government should appreciate Solo's efforts. The present Russian government cannot be blamed for past environmental policies. So why the secrecy?


President Boris Yeltsin has stressed on several occasions how urgent is the task of cleaning up Russia. and one of his closest advisers on the matter, Alexei Yablokov, is a co-founder of Greenpeace Russia.


So why not welcome Greenpeace and have them carry out their tests? By doing so Russia could at the same time teach Western governments, who try to cover up their own environmental messes, a little lesson. Wouldn't that be nice?