The World - News from May 29, 1989

France confirmed that it has received technical help from the United States in its nuclear weapons program but stressed that its nuclear deterrent remains totally independent. The Defense Ministry was reacting to an article in the U.S. magazine Foreign Policy claiming that Washington has secretly helped the French nuclear weapons program for the last 15 years in violation of U.S. law. U.S. officials, in an earlier statement confirming the exchange, said it did not violate any U.S. laws. French officials said there was no dependence of French nuclear forces on “foreign technologies” and no effect on “the independence of French decision-making.”