France Not To Make A-Bomb Or H-Bomb

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27634, 15 April 1955, Page 13

France Not To Make A-Bomb Or H-Bomb

(Rec. 7 p.m.) PARIS, April 13. The French Prime Minister (Mr Edgar Faure) told a press conference today that France would limit her atomic research to peaceful and industrial purposes and would not seek to produce an atomic bomb. “My government has decided to eliminate research for the military ures of atomic power,” he said. Asked if this meant that France has abandoned the idea of producing a hydrogen bomb, Mr Faure replied: “We do not propose to produce any atomic bombs, hydrogen or otherwise.”

Asked at the end of his press conference today whether he considered France would become a first-class Power if she restricted her atomic effort to civilian or pacific purposes, Mr Faure replied: “Yes, I do.” His announcement came as a bombshell to the 80 or 90 French i nd foreign correspondents attending Mr Faure’s fortnightly press conference. Last month Mr Faure made it clearly understood that either on her own or in co-operation with other continental countries, France would include atomic weapons in her armoury

in the same way as Great Britain. Mr Faure’s announcement was made shortly after a Cabinet meeting this morning at which military reorganisation in France had been closely considered. He said that the government had adopted two principles of action on atomic power. One was that France must become an atomic power in order to hold her own as a first-class Power. Mr Gaston Palewski, Minister of State dealing with Atomic Research, had established an important plan in this connexion, designed to make up for France's delays and to insure future progress. Second, the government had definitely decided that France must become a “pacific atomic power,” he said. The Cabinet had decided to concentrate ea this. 1 ‘ ■ Observers thought today's stater ment represented a radical change at position. It was also suggested that WMhtaf« ton had expressed the view to the French Government in an unofficial manner that it would be uneconqmiee! for France, as a member of the Atlantic Alliance, to oa her own on an i f