French Minister ‘indignant’

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 3

French Minister ‘indignant’

NZPA-Reuter Paris The following is an unofficial translation of a statement yesterday by the French Minister of Defence, Mr Hernu, on press allegations of French involvement in the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.

“I have called you here today to express my indignation at a campaign of slander against French military leaders. I would like to firmly remind you of two points which I have already stated: No service or organisation dependent on my ministry received an order to carry out an attack against the Rainbow Warrior. Aside from Major

(Alain) Mafart and Captain (Dominique) Prieur, the D.G.S.E. (French secret service) did not have any agents in New Zealand other than those who made up the crew of the Ouvea yacht. “As you know, I have tried to establish the truth. If I was disobeyed, if I was lied to, I will make it known immediately and will ask the Government to draw the consequences. “I wish to say solemnly that I will not allow present or former chiefs of staff of the French Armed Forces to be called into question. “I will not allow the honour of generals who have served or are serving France to be challenged; “Our officers, our noncommissioned officers, and our soldiers are republicans in the service of the nation, of the State, of the republic; in a word, of our fatherland. “You. will therefore understand that my absolute duty is to show total intransigence.

“I will be intransigent in all respects: intransigent in defence of the French Army, intransigent in defence of the institutions of the Republic and also, and to the same extent, intransigent in the search for the truth. “If it appears, though nothing suggests this, that faults were committed — that is to say, that there were violations of my orders, that I was lied to — believe me, you know me, I will be merciless in my punishment as this is in the interest of the credibility of our system of defence. “Like Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, I affirm solemnly that everything will be done to establish the truth ... this affair involves more than just politics and the press, it involves the fate of a man and a woman. “Major Mafart and Captain Prieur are facing charges, they are in a highsecurity prison and I demand that they have the right to be presumed innocent. One does not play with

such things. This is irresponsible. “Unfortunately, insinuatation and rumour have been used frequently in our history. It is to the honour of the Left to have always denounced such improper methods. “I tell you this firmly but also calmly. These two officers like the officers of the Ouvea were Intelligence agents on a mission. Yes, I knew about it. Yes, I gave the orders. I affirm that they only did their duty in defending the interests of France. “But let there be no mistake about it: between the Intelligence mission and the attack attributed to them there is an abyss. “I well know that in this affair there are zones of shadow, evil aspects. It is this evil which I am trying to bring to light. “In passing, let me say that with the President of the Republic (Mr Mitterrand) having just solemnly reaffirmed our determination over our nuclear deterrent, it is not simply coinci-

dence that all those being attacked are involved in the nuclear chain. “Let no-one, let no-one fall in the trap of allowing attacks against France’s nuclear deterrent. “You well know that Paris is closer to Soviet test sites than Auckland or Sydney are to Mururoa. “There is an enormous gap between the reality of France’s nuclear tests and the way they are seen and commented upon by some. There is an astonishing gap between the current campaign against the D.G.S.E., the French military, and the true substance of the affair. “Confidence and intransigence, these are my only two lines of action. Let noone try to find the shadow of State interest in my words. “The defence of our country is the object of such popular consensus that it would be truly absurd if a mistake had been made to try to hide it behind the concept of State interest. “For my part, I will have none of this.”