French indifference

Stupidity, said Australia. An outrage, fumed New Zealand. An act against humanity, declared Ecuador. Crazy, maintained Japan. But according to France, the detonating of a 20 kiloton bomb in a tunnel about 1,969 feet (600 meters) under Mururoa Atoll was "a message of peace".

It is no consolation whatsoever to learn that they may scale down their original plan to conduct eight tests. The world is looking toward a ban on all nuclear testing, not a scaling down of extensive test schemes. Hours after the explosion, the United States continued to urge France to join the moratorium on tests until a formal treaty is signed in 1996. However, even if they prove less impervious to that plea than they have to all the others, the French cannot expect to win any plaudits for restraint.

China carried out its own tests without announcing its intention beforehand; and though there was protest, it quickly died down. Even the most ardent nuclear protest groups recognize the futility of expecting a totalitarian state to pay any attention to world opinion.

As a democracy, France had declared its hand well in advance, allowing international protest to gather momentum. There was a hope that if the world urged Paris not to carry out the tests, reason would prevail and it would listen to international opinion, but this has proven to be a false hope.

France has proved as cavalier and defiant as China, despite its very different political system and its reputation as a civilized and sophisticated country.

But one thing has certainly been made clear through this test. It is causing a backlash against the country and tarnishing the French image abroad. Most of the world and most governments are repelled by France's action, as has been seen in the canceled orders and the deterioration in diplomatic relations between France and the countries of the Pacific Forum that it has so offended and injured by this act.

-- Eastern Express, Hong Kong