Contamination fears linger as French quit Mururoa

摘要

France has started to demolish its nuclear test facilities on Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls in the South Pacific. The French government last week insisted that it is returning the islands to the civil authorities of French Polynesia in a pristine condition. But independent scientists say the island may be dangerously contaminated. France exploded at least 123 nuclear bombs in the volcanic rock underneath Mururoa between 1975 and 1996, and eight under Fangataufa. Earlier this year, France said it would stop nuclear weapons tests. It is legally bound to hand the atolls back, clean and safe, to the civil authorities of French Polynesia, and says it will achieve this by 1998.