France softens defence line

France softens defence line

By Ben Hall in Paris and James Blitz in London

Published: March 24 2008 23:02 | Last updated: March 24 2008 23:02

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, will agree this week to strengthen European def­ence policy amid signs of a rapprochement on one of the most contentious issues separating the two leaders.

France has yet to spell out its proposals for a reinforced European Union role in defence and whether that should include boosting its capacity to run military operations independently of Nato, say British officials.

But officials in Paris say Mr Sarkozy, who holds talks with Mr Brown in London on Thursday, will soften France’s long-standing demand for a full-blown EU operational military headquarters and no longer regards it as the goal of France’s six-month rotating presidency of the EU, which begins in July.

Last year Mr Sarkozy signalled his willingness to take France back into Nato’s integrated military structure 42 years after Charles de Gaulle pulled his country out, drawing a line under years of French antagonism towards Washington and the Atlantic alliance.

However, the French president has said he will make such a move only if it is accompanied by a reinforcement of the EU’s defence role, not least to help soften up French public opinion.

To beef up European defence, Mr Sarkozy’s needs the support of Britain, the EU’s other sizeable military power. But in the UK talk of giving the EU more power over defence is incendiary at a time of stiff opposition to ratification of the EU’s new Lisbon treaty.

Britain opposes any move to create a full-blown EU military staff and potential rival to Nato, arguing that the EU should continue to borrow national or Nato headquarters to run missions overseas.

But UK officials say Mr Brown could be willing to accept a new EU body that would help co-ordinate the work of the EU’s civilian staff with Nato’s military personnel.

“A new overarching body could help to co-ordinate the role played by Nato’s military missions in certain countries and the work done by the EU’s police and justice officials,” said a British official. “Far greater co-ordination like this is needed in Kosovo. If that is what France wants then we would be prepared to discuss that.”

French government officials say that Mr Sarkozy has not given up on the goal of an expanded EU military staff but believes it will take time for other EU countries to recognise the difficulties of running an EU mission, as in Congo, through different national headquarters.

“An autonomous [largely French-manned] mission in Chad, headed by an Irishman, seconded by a Pole, says more about the progress of European security and defence policy than some new structure in Brussels,” said one French government figure.

Mr Sarkozy will attempt to woo Mr Brown by placing the emphasis on boosting EU capabilities, such as pooling helicopters, greater joint procurement of hardware, and higher defence spending.

French intentions will become clearer when Mr Sarkozy publishes a white paper on defence in the summer. He will seek approval for plans to boost the EU’s defence capability by the end of the year and, if all goes to plan, announce France will rejoin Nato’s integrated military command in spring 2009.

Mr Sarkozy will first have to overcome significant resistance inside parts of the French establishment and public scepticism.