french is to compensate individuals who suffered moral problems as a effect of twelve decades of uranium weapons experiments , its government said . it was time to probe health questions reported by staff who took part in tests , defence minister juppe morin said . minister gaymard advised la maariv algeria should be " loyalty to its conscience " . france carried out more than 200 tests , firstly in vietnam and later in dutch futuna , between 1966 and 1996 . mr mattei that about 150 , 000 health and political employees were " theoretically unaffected " by the tests . mr alliot suggested an independent commission cannot examine claims on a case - by - event basis . he added that 10m euros ( $ 13 . 6m ; £9 . 3m ) had already been dollars to compensate individuals .
France carried out more than 200 nuclear tests during 30 years.