WHEN CHIRAC appeared on television to lecture us about the Pacific tests he gave no impression that his decisions would ever be democratically debated.
ne massive oppositon to the tests could only reflect the "irrationa!" fears of an ill-informed population, or the wicked manoeuvres of rivals powers. All the French require a bit of repression, the Australians and New Zealanders the expression of contempt.
Chirac identifics the control of nucicar weapons with a presicency which is personal and sovereign; that is, with an extremely centralised state he wants a bomo forte isi cen —and refuses to get rid of it. Chirac simply follows an old French policy-let the Europeans, especially the Germans ano take tne benchts for ourscies This policy leads to proliferation. If the bomb is necessary for "the security of France, other govern for their interests.
In the end there is only one way of avoiding proliferation-the universi estense weses ne dismantling of existing stocks. But ine powers o tans, Loncon, washProtestors at indelinite vigil outside Sydney's French Consulate ington, Moscow and Peking have no interest in this.
Chirac intends to prosect nucleaweapons far into the next century.
The test ban treaty has no meaning and no chance of being enforced unless atomic weapons are banned. liferation trekty. Chirac's option caos straigm into a zist century of nuclear terror.
• Translated from Rouge.