NATO

From: Le Figaro
by Arnaud de la Grange

European Defence: Paris wants support from London

As is the case for Washington, the Brits would be prepared to accept that Europe have its own operations headquarters.

France wants to win over Britain to its conception of NATO and European Defense. Without an understanding with the other true European military power, Paris knows that nothing is possible. One thus has to revive "the spirit of St-Malo", that which governed the French-English summit which inaugurated European Defense in 1998.

The French stance is that of ceasing to play bad boy in the Atlantic Alliance, in an effort to win over those who normally put the breaks on European Defense, the U.S. and Britain most of all. Thus a series of advances: opening the possibility of re-joining NATO's integrated military ; announcing French re-enforcements in Afghanistan, and most importantly, taking part in the true war against the Taliban, in the eastern and southern parts of the country. This in place, the great negotiation can begin on NATO-Europe. European-level defense will only come to be with the capacity to plan and carry out an operation in an autonomous fashion.

THE RISK OF DUPLICATION

This implies that a headquarters worthy of the name be established. Britain has always refused this, in the name of avoiding unnecessary "duplication" with outlay for NATO, in effect Shape, the great headquarters of the alliance established near Mons in Belgium. They have argued that that the EU could use these same NATO facilities, as per the accords known as "Berlin+", for certain operations.

Britain seems today more receptive to the idea of giving the EU an "operations headquarters" in Brussels. "But they would like to see this new structure capable of coordinating the civilian capacities of the EU and the military ones of NATO," explains a diplomatic informant, " which is good, but one must be careful so that this technical approach does not downplay the political ."

If there is openness in London, it is because there is as well in Washington. At the end of February, the U.S. ambassador to NATO gave a speech that was noticed in Paris and London. Victoria Nuland recognized that Europe should be able to "act in an independent manner" and, while remaining vague, she admitted that Europe could legitimately argue for a proper center for planning and training.

Washington no longer sees European Defense as unthinkable. The "All-NATO" approach encourages Europeans to rely on this life-insurance and keep their defense budgets low, which is a problem when the time comes to find serious allies.

Still in the hopes of bringing Britain on-side, Paris would accept to only gradually assume more responsibilities within NATO. The job of number two, for the Allied forces in Europe, always goes to the British. And the latter remain well attached to their de facto status, as first lieutenant for America within NATO.