France wants to end NATO exile
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:36 pm
CRISPIAN BALMER
Reuters
March 11, 2009 at 7:04 AM EDT
PARIS — France wants to become a full member of NATO, ending more than four decades of self-imposed exile from the alliance's inner core, French Defence Minister Herve Morin said.
France is NATO's fourth largest contributor of troops, but in an effort to mark its difference with the United States it has long snubbed the organization's integrated military command, which plans, trains and conducts joint operations.
Mr. Morin told a defence conference that times had changed and French President Nicolas Sarkozy was keen for France to play a full role in the world's biggest defence alliance. “The president and myself are convinced that France can renew its relations with NATO whilst being an independent ally and free partner of the United States.”
France quit the NATO command in March, 1966 and ordered the organization to close its headquarters in France, with then-president Charles De Gaulle saying Paris did not want to be dragged into a war that was not of its own choosing.
The decision, taken in the midst of the east-west Cold War, was the culmination of years of Franco-American rivalry over control of the alliance and of nuclear weapons.
However, Paris remained in NATO's political wing and its military ties have since grown much closer, meaning that its continued isolation from the integrated command has merely deprived France from having a voice in planning decisions.
Mr. Sarkozy, who is due to address the defence conference later today, made a full return to NATO conditional on a creating a greater role for Europe within the alliance.
Mr. Morin said this condition had been met. “As a prerequisite we needed to re-launch European defence. This has been done,” Mr. Morin said.
“Now that 21 out of 27 European Union members are in the alliance, to pit Europe against NATO makes no sense.”
France's return to the fold will make little difference on the ground in missions such as Afghanistan, where it has 2,800 troops, but it nonetheless faces resistance from the French political establishment, where distrust of NATO still runs deep.
A majority of the French people, however, are in favour of rejoining, according to two opinion polls published this week. An Ifop poll for Paris Match found that 58 per cent of people were in favour while 37 per cent were against. The LH2 pollsters found the for/against balance was 52 per cent versus 27 per cent.
Although Mr. Sarkozy has the powers to authorize the reintegration without consulting parliament, he has decided to call a confidence vote over the issue next week to give added legitimacy to his decision.
Critics say a full return to NATO will make France a less effective counterweight to the United States and warn that Paris might be dragged into future conflicts against its will. The French were deeply opposed to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and Mr. Morin said being integrated into NATO would not have made any difference to France's position.
“Who can dare say that being in the integrated command forces country to take part in operations? It isn't true,” he said. “It might have been so in the NATO of 1966 but it is not like that in the NATO of 2009.”
Mr. Sarkozy will host a summit of NATO leaders next month, which is expected to formalize France's full return to the alliance.
Reuters
March 11, 2009 at 7:04 AM EDT
PARIS — France wants to become a full member of NATO, ending more than four decades of self-imposed exile from the alliance's inner core, French Defence Minister Herve Morin said.
France is NATO's fourth largest contributor of troops, but in an effort to mark its difference with the United States it has long snubbed the organization's integrated military command, which plans, trains and conducts joint operations.
Mr. Morin told a defence conference that times had changed and French President Nicolas Sarkozy was keen for France to play a full role in the world's biggest defence alliance. “The president and myself are convinced that France can renew its relations with NATO whilst being an independent ally and free partner of the United States.”
France quit the NATO command in March, 1966 and ordered the organization to close its headquarters in France, with then-president Charles De Gaulle saying Paris did not want to be dragged into a war that was not of its own choosing.
The decision, taken in the midst of the east-west Cold War, was the culmination of years of Franco-American rivalry over control of the alliance and of nuclear weapons.
However, Paris remained in NATO's political wing and its military ties have since grown much closer, meaning that its continued isolation from the integrated command has merely deprived France from having a voice in planning decisions.
Mr. Sarkozy, who is due to address the defence conference later today, made a full return to NATO conditional on a creating a greater role for Europe within the alliance.
Mr. Morin said this condition had been met. “As a prerequisite we needed to re-launch European defence. This has been done,” Mr. Morin said.
“Now that 21 out of 27 European Union members are in the alliance, to pit Europe against NATO makes no sense.”
France's return to the fold will make little difference on the ground in missions such as Afghanistan, where it has 2,800 troops, but it nonetheless faces resistance from the French political establishment, where distrust of NATO still runs deep.
A majority of the French people, however, are in favour of rejoining, according to two opinion polls published this week. An Ifop poll for Paris Match found that 58 per cent of people were in favour while 37 per cent were against. The LH2 pollsters found the for/against balance was 52 per cent versus 27 per cent.
Although Mr. Sarkozy has the powers to authorize the reintegration without consulting parliament, he has decided to call a confidence vote over the issue next week to give added legitimacy to his decision.
Critics say a full return to NATO will make France a less effective counterweight to the United States and warn that Paris might be dragged into future conflicts against its will. The French were deeply opposed to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and Mr. Morin said being integrated into NATO would not have made any difference to France's position.
“Who can dare say that being in the integrated command forces country to take part in operations? It isn't true,” he said. “It might have been so in the NATO of 1966 but it is not like that in the NATO of 2009.”
Mr. Sarkozy will host a summit of NATO leaders next month, which is expected to formalize France's full return to the alliance.
