The environmental organisation, Greenpeace, says a British High Court ruling allowing former nuclear servicemen to sue the UK government comes too late.
The ruling allows Fiji, New Zealand and British veterans who took part in atomic tests off Australia and Christmas Island in the 1950s to sue the British government for compensation.
The Pacific head of campaigns of Greenpeace Steve Campbell says the ruling is good news, but many military and civilian staff involved have already died.
"The British government should have faced up to its responsibility a long time ago. One of the more sinister aspects to this case, is the longer the British government can drag on the legal processes, the less compensation they are going to have to pay, because there will be fewer victims still alive."
Steve Campbell of Greenpeace.
Most veterans praise the ruling as a milestone and hope for a speedy out-of court settlement.
