PACIFIC TESTS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30106, 15 April 1963, Page 3

PACIFIC TESTS

Australian Attitude Copyriaht) i 5, PARIS, April 12. Auatri&a’a External Affairs Mfatoter ’(St* Garfield Barwick) indicated yesterday tha* Australia would not look with favour on any French nqciear tests in the Pacific, the Associated Press reported. Sir Garfield Barwick was questioned on, Australia's attitude if France carried out nuclear tests. He said Australia wanted to see an end to the spread of atomic weapons. Sir Garfield Barwick said he had been able to have “very useful contacts and conversaitdons” with French Government leaders and officials. The Australian Government had made its position quite dear. ”We want to see an end to atomic testing. We want to see an end to proliferation of nuclear capacity and we want to see a proper atomic test ban treaty.” he said. A reporter asked whether this added up to saying Australia was against French nuclear tests in the Pacific. Sir Garfield Barwick replied: "You do the adding up.”

The French Information Minister (Mr Alain Peyrefitte) said last night that France's atomic force would be a reality at the end of the summer.

At a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, he told a questioner: ‘‘France has no atomic worries. The scheduled programme is going according to plan without any new difficulty.” Alluding to American press reports that France was encountering difficulties in her military atomic programme, Mr Peyrefitte said: "It is probable that those who start these rumours have an interest in making it thought that we are encountering difficulties. But these difficulties do not exist.”