5 Feb 2007

French move on nuclear fallout discussion welcomed

4:08 pm on 5 February 2007

Reports from French Polynesia say nuclear test veterans have welcomed a French move to acknowledge a link between the weapons tests and people's health.

This comes after France's ruling UMP Party joined other groups and parties in backing a call to create a law aimed at acknowledging the link.

The Tahitipresse news agency says the UMP proposal was drawn up by 14 parliamentarians last May but not made public until now when it was published on the party's website.

The proposal calls for a recognition of a presumed link between nuclear testing and human health.

This is to end the system under which it is up to the individual to prove a causal link between their health problems and the exposure to the tests.

The law proposal also calls for the creation of a national commission made up of all the relevant ministries instead of the current arrangement which restricts the testing issue to discussions with the defence ministry.