Pressure up on France over nuclear tests

Pressure up on France over nuclear tests

SYDNEY (AFP): Japan and Australia stepped up their war of words with France yesterday after it shrugged off a New Zealand threat to go to the international court over its planned South Pacific nuclear test program.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono warned France's decision to resume nuclear tests next month might harm bilateral links.

"France is one of the European countries which have a long relationship with Japan," he told reporters. "Since Japan and France have enjoyed good relations up to now, it would be regrettable if a problem such as this were to harm the ties.

But he added: "The nuclear problem is not something that can be ignored."

Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating hit back at a personal attack on him by the right wing newspaper Le Figaro, saying it showed contempt for Australian values and adding: "Maybe the French should have a good look at themselves."

In an article underscoring the bitterness of both sides in the nuclear debate, Le Figaro said Keating's recent attacks on France were motivated by a "fetishistic hatred" of France and a bad conscience over "ethnic cleansing" of Australia's indigenous population.

A spokesman for Keating dismissed the article as "offensive, inaccurate and irrelevant." He said it was "a vindictive response by a right wing newspaper to the obvious international disapproval of the French government's decision".

Le Figaro editor Franz-Olivier Giesbert accused Keating of turning the nuclear issue into a broader anti-French campaign for political reasons.

"One is left speechless when faced with the fetishistic hatred of your government towards us", he said, claiming Keating's ulterior motive was that he wanted Australia to "dominate the South Pacific".

The prime minister's spokesman referred to Keating's well- known love of French culture and art for which he is frequently lampooned by Australian cartoonists and columnists, saying: "To suggest that he hates France would surprise most Australian journalists."

France has made clear it was undaunted by continuing international pressure to stop the tests going ahead by dismissing as domestic politicking New Zealand's threat to go to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman said both sides had to consent to take a dispute to the International Court and in the case of France there was no such agreement.

France's European Affairs Minister Michel Barnier said "the internal political motives" of Australia and New Zealand had to be taken into account in their agitation.

Gaston Flosse, leader of French Polynesia where the tests will be conducted, and close ally of President Jacques Chirac, meantime gave an assurance that France would not bring forward its first nuclear test to this month.

Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans said last week he believed France might start the test series as early as this week.

But Flosse, just back from a tour of four Pacific nations to explain France's position, said there would be no experimental nuclear blasts at Mururoa Atoll during the Pacific Games in Papeete from Aug. 12 to Aug. 26.