French-Australian Battle Over South Pacific Testing Heats Up
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SYDNEY, Australia — Australia’s battle with France over nuclear testing claimed a major casualty on Friday when the French owners of a Sydney-based company hurting from growing anti-French sentiment sold the company to Dutch investors.
Business ties between Australia and France, strained since France’s decision in June to resume nuclear testing, took another turn for the worse on Thursday when Paris said it may review deals for imports of Australian coal and uranium.
That announcement was followed by news that W.A. Flick & Co., one of Australia’s biggest pest-control firms, would be bought for an undisclosed amount.
“The move is directly linked to the concerns of the Australian public to the recommencement of the testing of nuclear weapons in the South Pacific,” Flick said in a statement.
Industry officials said France’s threat to review Australian uranium and coal exports was mainly empty and symbolic but could backfire on Paris.
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd., which supplies all of Australia’s uranium exports to France, said it is confident that the long-term contract for 270 tons a year worth $9 million annually would remain safe despite any threats.
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