France's H-Bomb Atolls
p. 20 · Read in the full issue
Are Really French Now
Mururoa and Fangataufa, two atolls the Tuamotus that figure in the Frem Government's nuclear testing project the South Pacific, have been ceded France by the Territorial Assembly ■ French Polynesia, Mururoa is to be the main base the testing project, and Fangataufi about 20 miles south-south-east of Mun roa, will be an observation post. TH two atolls are about 775 miles froc Tahiti.
The Territorial Assembly had tH choice of ceding or leasing the two atol to the State. If it leased them, tl?
French Government would have pai the "derisory" rent of 5,000 francs year, and—Assembly members argued it would have felt free of any othu obligations. On the other hand, the said, an outright gift would impose n very important moral debt" on Frano which it would be obliged to honot in the future.
A clause in the deed of cessic guarantees the return of the two atoll to local jurisdiction if the French Go< ernment ever decides it has no furthe use for them.