Moruroa atoll Photo: AFP or licensors
A senior French official says in French Polynesia there is no risk linked to radioactivity emanating from France's nuclear weapon tests.
The official in charge of nuclear safety and radiation protection François Bugaut said after a visit to the Moruroa test site that claims to the contrary are wrong.
He said the findings in the study 'Toxique', published in March, of widespread contamination are false.
The study, based on an analysis of declassified French documents, had concluded that the fallout of a 1974 atmospheric test affected the entire population and not only the immediate testing zone around Morurua.
The Moruroa test site remains a military no-go zone, which France refuses to return to French Polynesia.
Mr Bugaut said one reason for it remaining French is to prevent foreign powers from recovering information from residues which could be used to develop nuclear weapons.