An agreement on France’s assistance was signed between French high commissioner in Papeete, Adolphe Colrat, the French Polynesian vice president, Jules Ienfa, and the mayor of Hao.
Colrat told RFO radio the cleanup will take seven years and marked a financial commitment by France ten times bigger than what has been dispersed on Hao so far.
He said the financial commitment demonstrated France’s resolve to develop the atoll.
France quit its nuclear weapons testing regime in 1996 but continues to face complaints by veterans for failing to compensate those who suffered poor health because of exposure to the blasts.
