Algeria - Q&A from the press briefing (25 May 2021)

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Q : Can you confirm that a French-Algerian meeting was held in Paris on cleaning up old French nuclear test sites in Algeria? Will France take charge of operations to clean up those sites?

A : The meeting you mention was held on May 19 and 20.

The French-Algerian working group on nuclear tests was established in 2008 by the authorities of both countries. Made up of experts, it is tasked with jointly studying the cleanup of former nuclear test sites in the Sahara, its primary concern being the protection of people and the environment.

The issue of French nuclear tests in Algeria is a complex one. Our two countries are working on it together with the utmost seriousness.

As a reminder, France carried out six nuclear tests in the Sahara between 1960 and 1962. It subsequently carried out an additional 11 nuclear tests between 1962 and 1966 after Algerian independence, with the agreement of the Algerian authorities.