Giscard Reflects on Students Economy and Nuclear Arms

Breakfasting with 50 students at the Union yesterday morning, former President of France Valery Giscard D'Estaing tried to put students at ease by asking them what careers they are preparing for. But Giscard was surprised at their non committal responses.

Later, in an interview at the institute of Politics, which he is visiting for three days, Giscard said an official housing the function had to remind him that young people make career decisions in the United States much later than in France.

"In the United States, students study a subject for their general education, while in France they adjust their studies to prepare for jobs, which are not numerous," Giscard said.

The 45-minute interview covered a wide range of topics, including the economy and nuclear arms, which Giscard feels is not as much of an issue in France as in Germany.

Giscard said the anti-nuclear movement has not taken hold in France because nuclear weapons are "only in French hands," as opposed to being deployed by the United States as they are in Germany. "The people know that they will only be used in a case of necessity and only to protest them," he added.

It is for the sake of promoting this independence from the United States and the rest of the NATO alliance that even the communist party has never opposed the deployment of nuclear arms, he said.

Giscard added that above all the French had "a great interest to see if we had the ability" to develop nuclear technology themselves.

Like an author plugging his book, Giscard came alive when asked about his pet project and the subject of a soon-to-be published article: the plan to change the structure of the international monetary system from a free-floating to a fixed base.

A free-floating exchange rate encourages protectionism, while a fixed rate "makes a good case for free trade," he said. While Giscard acknowledged President Reagan's advocacy of the floating rate, he said. "The President may criticize me for my recommendation for a fixed rate of exchange, but such criticism is the only way to open up dialogue on the matter."

Giscard refused to discuss his own future political plans.