PARIS - Two French officers who played a major role in carrying out France's final series of nuclear tests in the south Pacific have each been given a double promotion.
Vice Admiral Philippe Euverte, the former commander of French forces in Polynesia who supervised operations to counter efforts by the environmental organisation Greenpeace to disrupt the tests and Gen Paul Vericel, director of nuclear test centres, were both promoted to the rank of commanders in the Legion of Honour.