SYDNEY, July 14, 1995 - The Australian government must pull out all stops in its protest action after admissions by the French government that it will test new nuclear weapons in the Pacific which threaten to restart a global arms race.
French President Jacques Chirac reportedly told French senators overnight that: "we want to try our new nuclear warhead, then to carry out two tests on the safety, the security and the effectiveness of our detonators and the effect on ageing on them." This was the first public admission that the French government were testing new weapons rather than testing existing weapons for "safety, security and eliability" and developing computer simulation technology.
Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans had defended Australia's soft reaction to the French decision to resume nuclear testing on the basis of an assurance from French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette that new weapons would not be tested.
Yesterday a spokeswoman for Senator Evans reportedly said "The French foreign minister gave us an assurance that no new warheads were being developed...so we're not taking further action."
However Jane's Defence Weekly, the internationally respected defence journal, reported on June 24 1995 : "military sources said another major reason for the tests was to carry out vital preparatory work on two weapons systems that are to form the backbone of French nuclear defences after the year 2000. These are the M-5 missile that is to equip the country's fleet of SSBN's from 2010 and France's long-range air-to-surface ASLP missile which the new Rafale fighter aircraft will carry".
The scientific Journal New Scientist on June 24 also reported France would use the Pacific nuclear tests to design a new warhead. It quotes Marc Launois, deputy director of the military applications division of France's Atomic Energy Commission as saying the tests would be used to "perfect" French weapons. President Chirac on March 16 1995, during his presidential campaign, stated on French television that his "first task" was to ensure the modernisation of France's strategic nuclear forces.
Greenpeace national nuclear campaigner Ben Pearson said: "Australia has clearly been deceived and needs to urgently strengthen its response given that the real purpose of these tests is now known to develop new nuclear weapons. "The development of new nuclear weapons by the French risks starting a new arms race and also undermines international talks on a comprehensive test ban treaty."
MORE INFO: BEN PEARSON, JEAN MCSORLEY OR JON WALTER ON 02-211 4066 or 0419-745547 or NONI KEYS on 06-257 6516