France's highest court has dismissed an appeal by the defence ministry which had queried the authority of the administrative court in Paris.
The case relates to a request by the nuclear weapon test veterans organistaion, AVEN, which has been seeking information about the French tests in French Polynesia and Algeria.
Two years ago, the administrative court had instructed the defence ministry that it had to discuss its refusal to release classified documents with the consultative commission on the national defence secret.
In its appeal to the supreme court, the defence ministry challenged the administrative court's ruling but the supreme court found that the lower court had committed no error.
In most cases put the commission on the national defence secret, the ruling is in favour of the applicants.
