François Hollande 'will retain Franco-British defence ties' as president:
Candidate's defence spokesman to fly to London to reassure officials co-operation between France and UK to continue
The man tipped to be France's next defence minister is to fly to London on Monday to reassure Britain that a Socialist president will pose no threat to the entente cordiale.
Jean-Yves Le Drian says the presidential frontrunner François Hollande is keen to cement ties and ensure that France and Britain – Europe's leading military powers – "speak from the same sheet" on defence.
Le Drian will also tell British officials he hopes to reinforce greater co-operation between Paris and London over nuclear weapons, joint military action, intelligence and defence industry projects.
In an interview with the Guardian, he also reiterated Hollande's pledge to pull French forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2012, a year earlier than planned.
"The withdrawal will be done in consultation with our allies and the Afghan authorities, but it will be done. We believe we have done our duty and now it is time to leave. François Hollande has been very clear about this," Le Drian said.
He also said a Socialist government would re-evaluate Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to rejoin the Nato command in 2007, a move the Socialist party opposed – though Le Drian denied any suggestion the Socialists would pull France out.
Under Sarkozy, Britain and France have enjoyed unprecedented defence co-operation, culminating in the joint military operation to oust Muammar Gaddafi in Libya last year. In November 2010, they signed the 50-year Lancaster House treaty agreeing to share nuclear secrets, jointly test nuclear warheads, and create a 6,000-strong joint rapid reaction force.
Le Drian, 64, Hollande's defence spokesman, said: "Defence relations between France and Great Britain have known a significant move forward. For us this is a good thing. Today, the European pole of defence is France and Great Britain.
"We would like to continue what was engaged at Lancaster House. We are the two countries with the most military might in Europe. Therefore, our two countries have to speak from the same sheet."
Britain's "special relationship" with America has long rankled the French, while France's support for a Europe-wide defence strategy that, taken to its logical conclusion, could involve the creation of a European army, is opposed by London.
Le Drian said a Socialist government would look to forging greater defence links and co-operation between France and other EU countries including Germany, Poland, Spain and Italy.
"We have a different view of Europe and we assume responsibility for that, we believe a greater closeness in defence matters could be useful. We have to be pragmatic; Lancaster House was pragmatism.
"We would hope to make this [Franco-British] alliance, this entente, lead to greater co-operation elsewhere in Europe, to open things up to other countries either in intervention, military cooperation, or industrial co-operation. We are in a period where budgets are very tight and shrinking so this is necessary."
The two allies may find themselves going in opposite directions, however, over nuclear weapons. Faced with spending cuts and a vocal anti-nuclear movement, the British government has postponed a decision on whether to renew its Trident warheads. Le Drian said France would not be giving up its nuclear deterrent.
"Our military position on this is clear; we have to maintain the dissuasion. This is our security, the security of France. We will keep our nuclear forces as they are," he said.
Commenting on Charles de Gaulle's observation that "treaties are like roses and young girls; they last while they last," Le Drian added: "We hope these treaties will last ... for at least 50 years."
France goes to the polls on 22 April to elect a new president. A runoff vote will be held on 6 May if necessary.
The man tipped to be France's next defence minister is to fly to London on Monday to reassure Britain that a Socialist president will pose no threat to the entente cordiale.
Jean-Yves Le Drian says the presidential frontrunner François Hollande is keen to cement ties and ensure that France and Britain – Europe's leading military powers – "speak from the same sheet" on defence.
Le Drian will also tell British officials he hopes to reinforce greater co-operation between Paris and London over nuclear weapons, joint military action, intelligence and defence industry projects.
In an interview with the Guardian, he also reiterated Hollande's pledge to pull French forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2012, a year earlier than planned.
"The withdrawal will be done in consultation with our allies and the Afghan authorities, but it will be done. We believe we have done our duty and now it is time to leave. François Hollande has been very clear about this," Le Drian said.
He also said a Socialist government would re-evaluate Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to rejoin the Nato command in 2007, a move the Socialist party opposed – though Le Drian denied any suggestion the Socialists would pull France out.
Under Sarkozy, Britain and France have enjoyed unprecedented defence co-operation, culminating in the joint military operation to oust Muammar Gaddafi in Libya last year. In November 2010, they signed the 50-year Lancaster House treaty agreeing to share nuclear secrets, jointly test nuclear warheads, and create a 6,000-strong joint rapid reaction force.
Le Drian, 64, Hollande's defence spokesman, said: "Defence relations between France and Great Britain have known a significant move forward. For us this is a good thing. Today, the European pole of defence is France and Great Britain.
"We would like to continue what was engaged at Lancaster House. We are the two countries with the most military might in Europe. Therefore, our two countries have to speak from the same sheet."
Britain's "special relationship" with America has long rankled the French, while France's support for a Europe-wide defence strategy that, taken to its logical conclusion, could involve the creation of a European army, is opposed by London.
Le Drian said a Socialist government would look to forging greater defence links and co-operation between France and other EU countries including Germany, Poland, Spain and Italy.
"We have a different view of Europe and we assume responsibility for that, we believe a greater closeness in defence matters could be useful. We have to be pragmatic; Lancaster House was pragmatism.
"We would hope to make this [Franco-British] alliance, this entente, lead to greater co-operation elsewhere in Europe, to open things up to other countries either in intervention, military cooperation, or industrial co-operation. We are in a period where budgets are very tight and shrinking so this is necessary."
The two allies may find themselves going in opposite directions, however, over nuclear weapons. Faced with spending cuts and a vocal anti-nuclear movement, the British government has postponed a decision on whether to renew its Trident warheads. Le Drian said France would not be giving up its nuclear deterrent.
"Our military position on this is clear; we have to maintain the dissuasion. This is our security, the security of France. We will keep our nuclear forces as they are," he said.
Commenting on Charles de Gaulle's observation that "treaties are like roses and young girls; they last while they last," Le Drian added: "We hope these treaties will last ... for at least 50 years."
France goes to the polls on 22 April to elect a new president. A runoff vote will be held on 6 May if necessary.
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Comments