PARIS (AP) March 21, 2008 — President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday that he will cut France's nuclear arsenal to fewer than 300 warheads, seeking to balance the defense of the nation — he mentioned the threat from Iran — against budgetary and strategic considerations.
In his first major speech as president on the French deterrent, Sarkozy also urged the United States and China to commit fully to a treaty banning tests of nuclear weapons.nIn addition, Sarkozy shifted somewhat from the nuclear doctrine of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, by being slightly more ambiguous about the circumstances that might lead France to employ its nuclear weapons.
Sarkozy's decision to reveal the rough size of France's arsenal — the Defense Ministry said the exact number of warheads is still secret — appeared aimed at prodding other nuclear powers to be equally transparent.
Many of France's nuclear weapons are carried aboard submarines, with the rest on warplanes. Sarkozy said the airborne component would be cut by one-third, specifying that that included nuclear weapons, missiles and planes.
"After this reduction, our arsenal will include fewer than 300 nuclear warheads," he said. "That is half the maximum number of warheads that we had during the Cold War." More >>>
