1st LD Writethru: Hollande admits impact of nuclear tests in Polynesia

French President Francois Hollande has admitted that the nuclear tests conducted in Polynesia, one of France's overseas territories, had ecological and health consequences.

"I recognize that the nuclear tests conducted between 1966 and 1996 in French Polynesia had an environmental impact and caused health consequences," according to a speech by the French president that was posted on Tuesday on the website of the Elysee.

"Without Polynesia, France would not now have nuclear weapons, the power of dissuasion and the ability to better contribute to peace," Hollande said in his first visit on Monday to Papeete, capital of French Polynesia.

The French president said he wanted "to turn the page of nuclear," pledging to review the process for compensating the victims of the nuclear tests.

Hollande also announced a loan worth about 5.8 million euros (6.4 million U.S. dollars) to improve services at the oncology department of the local hospital, in addition to continued and reinforced missions to measure the impact of the nuclear tests on atolls and lagoons there.

As for Polynesia's outlook, Hollande spoke of more growth and higher investment mainly from China which "had an important potential," to inject dynamism into the island's tourism business. Endit