French nuclear diplomacy - a step too far? (France giving Algeria nuclear technology)

Radio Netherlands ^ | June 25 2008 | Perro de Jong

[knighthawk]

France has signed a far-reaching nuclear agreement with its former colony Algeria. President Nicolas Sarkozy is committed to improving co-operation between Mediterranean countries and the European Union. However, not everyone is happy about Paris' attempts to find favour with Algeria.

'A memorandum of trust' is how French Prime Minister François Fillon described the agreement that he signed last weekend. The French prime minister was in Algiers to persuade Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to take part in the Mediterranean Union, a project that is dear to President Sarkozy's heart.

The organisation aims to boost ties between the European Union and nations with a Mediterranean border. However, at the end of the visit, which was the first by a French premier in 22 years, president Bouteflika refused to commit himself to joining the MU. It appears that the trust built between France and its former colony doesn't extend quite so far.

Diplomatic lubricant France sees Algeria as the key to the Islamic world and to a larger a diplomatic role for Paris. Before Paris can accomplish that however, traumas from the colonial period need to be dealt with.

The nuclear agreement is a start. France is a world leader in nuclear technology, three quarters of French energy is generated by nuclear power and President Sarkozy wants to use French nuclear know-how as a diplomatic lubricant.

Last year, the French president promised that Algeria would become the first Arab country to profit from advanced French nuclear technology. Meanwhile, Paris has announced co-operation deals with Tunisia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and with the former international pariah, Libya.

Dangerous game The environmental organisation Greenpeace is very concerned about the French plans. According to Greenpeace spokesperson Frederique Marillier exporting nuclear technology for political gain is "a dangerous game".

The nuclear agreement signed by Prime Minister Fillon provides cooperation in the field of training and joint research projects. The agreement also provides the possibility of building nuclear reactors in Algeria. Paris has emphasised that the reactors will not be used for military purposes. Despite Paris's reassurances, Ms Marillier is not convinced:

"France should know from its past that developing nuclear agreements may lead to a military programme, because nuclear is always both civil and military. You know, France developed nuclear agreements with Israel, with Iran, with Iraq. And in each case there is some example of at least trying to develop a military programme."

Al-Qaeda terrorists Even less reassuring is the fact that until very recently, a bloody civil war was raging between the Algerian government and fundamentalist Muslims. According to Prime Minister Fillon, the war is now over and Algeria is a guiding light, showing other nations how a moderate regime can stop fundamentalists.

Despite the war being over, 13 people were killed earlier this month in a double attack east of the capital Algiers. The target was a French man working for the French-Algerian rail network. Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb.

Jean-Pierre Maulny, interim director of IRIS, the Institute for International relations in Paris, says:

"This problem is all over the region. It's difficult to say if in the future we'll have more attacks. For the moment I think it's stable enough. The problem is perhaps for the future, for the ten or fifteen years beyond. Because we have the whole question future terrorism, which is a political problem to be resolved by the countries in the Mahreb."

Neo-colonial adder Frederique Marillier says political reasons aren't enough to explain why France is taking such enormous risks. She believes that there is a neo-colonial adder in the grass:

"There is a part of the agreement dealing with mining prospection. As you know, there is a big tension at the moment on the uranium market due to development in China and India. There is a clear new development of mining, and AREVA is looking for a new country to develop mining. So it's also a direct interest for the nuclear industry."

Ironically enough, Algeria served as Paris's nuclear testing ground in the past. France carried out 13 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara in the early 1960s. But the tests were not a glowing recommendation for nuclear power as a number of Algerians became ill as a result of the tests.

Earlier this year, Paris promised to start a new investigation into that particular black page in the French-Algerian joint history. The promise thawed the chill in bilateral relations and prepared the way for a new nuclear chapter. It remains to be seen whether the risks will be smaller this time round.

[knighthawk]

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