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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| France to reduce nuclear warheads | France to reduce nuclear warheads |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| President Nicolas Sarkozy has said France will reduce its number of airborne nuclear weapons by one third. | President Nicolas Sarkozy has said France will reduce its number of airborne nuclear weapons by one third. |
| Mr Sarkozy said the reduction to fewer than 300 missiles would leave France with "half the maximum number of warheads we had during the Cold War". | Mr Sarkozy said the reduction to fewer than 300 missiles would leave France with "half the maximum number of warheads we had during the Cold War". |
| But he also insisted he was committed to France's nuclear deterrent, saying it was its "life-insurance policy". | But he also insisted he was committed to France's nuclear deterrent, saying it was its "life-insurance policy". |
| He made the comments in a major defence policy speech after inaugurating a new nuclear-armed submarine, the Terrible. | He made the comments in a major defence policy speech after inaugurating a new nuclear-armed submarine, the Terrible. |
| France is believed to have 348 deployed nuclear weapons, including 288 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, 50 air-launched cruise missiles and 10 airborne bombs, according to the Federation of American Scientists. | France is believed to have 348 deployed nuclear weapons, including 288 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, 50 air-launched cruise missiles and 10 airborne bombs, according to the Federation of American Scientists. |
| 'Life-insurance policy' | 'Life-insurance policy' |
| In his first major speech on France's nuclear deterrent since being elected president last May, Mr Sarkozy said military spending needed to be re-examined. | In his first major speech on France's nuclear deterrent since being elected president last May, Mr Sarkozy said military spending needed to be re-examined. |
| The cuts would reduce France's airborne force of nuclear weapons by a third, he said, leaving fewer than 300 warheads, mostly on board submarines. | The cuts would reduce France's airborne force of nuclear weapons by a third, he said, leaving fewer than 300 warheads, mostly on board submarines. |
| After this reduction, our arsenal will comprise fewer than 300 nuclear warheads, that's half the maximum number of warheads we had during the Cold War Nicolas SarkozyFrench President | After this reduction, our arsenal will comprise fewer than 300 nuclear warheads, that's half the maximum number of warheads we had during the Cold War Nicolas SarkozyFrench President |
| "By giving this information, France is fully transparent since it has no other weapons than those in its operational stocks," he told an audience at the northern port of Cherbourg. | "By giving this information, France is fully transparent since it has no other weapons than those in its operational stocks," he told an audience at the northern port of Cherbourg. |
| "Moreover, I confirm that none of our weapons are targeted at anybody." | "Moreover, I confirm that none of our weapons are targeted at anybody." |
| Nevertheless, Mr Sarkozy insisted he remained committed to France's independent nuclear "strike force". | Nevertheless, Mr Sarkozy insisted he remained committed to France's independent nuclear "strike force". |
| He said that while France no longer faced a realistic threat of invasion, other threats continued to exist. | He said that while France no longer faced a realistic threat of invasion, other threats continued to exist. |
| "The security of Europe is at stake," he said, singling out Iran's development of ballistic missiles and its controversial nuclear programme. | |
| At the same time, Mr Sarkozy appealed for other nations to scale back their nuclear arsenals and called on China and the US to finally ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, which they signed in 1996. | At the same time, Mr Sarkozy appealed for other nations to scale back their nuclear arsenals and called on China and the US to finally ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, which they signed in 1996. |
| He also called for an international treaty banning short and medium range ground-to-ground missiles and another banning the manufacture of fissile material for nuclear weapons. | He also called for an international treaty banning short and medium range ground-to-ground missiles and another banning the manufacture of fissile material for nuclear weapons. |