France wants Russia involved in European defence

EU Observer ^ | 4/28/03 | Mihaela Gherghisan

[ellery]

The French defence minister Michèle Alliot-Marie stated last Friday (25 April), in Moscow, that Russia should be involved in European defence plans.

The French Minister spoke about a new military co-operation to be built up between Russia and France in the aftermath of the Iraq war.

Now that European defence is becoming a reality, the minister believes it would be natural to bring Moscow in on EU defence plans - as within NATO.

Concrete co-operation Ms Alliot-Mari thinks that more French-Russian military co-operation could only contribute to the stability of Europe.

She proposed three levels of co-operation that would involve bilateral technical and human relationships, joint actions on the ground (like in Afghanistan and Kosovo) and relationships in the framework of international institutions - NATO and European defence.

The French minister met the Russian foreign minister Serghei Ivanov with whom she mainly discussed the outcome of the recent Russian-French-German Summit in St Petersburg.

France and Russia are pursuing the same line regarding the post war Iraq; they are both claiming a central role for the United Nations.

France and Russia are currently working to develop a new generation MiG fighter plane and Mr Ivanov indicated that other projects are also being undertaken, according to Izvestia.

He also said they discussed Russian proposals for a European-wide anti-missile defence system. Russia came up with the proposals after the United States, in 2002, announced that it was formally withdrawing from the 1972 Anti Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.

[freedumb2003]

France and Russia are currently working to develop a new generation MiG fighter plane

Great, a plane that runs on crappy wine or good vodka but that can electronically surrender in 2 languages.

[ScholarWarrior]

Now THAT will make the Poles and Hungarians happy.

Happy to BEG for the US to establish bases in their countries.

[Torie]

This is all about France trying to euchre the US out of NATO. France seems rather fixated on trying to create a regional hegemon where it is primus inter pares to compete with the US. The only problem is that none of these countries is about to throw the money at creating a military that makes the proposition something other than a joke.

[cynicom]

Defence against whom???

[Kozak]

Gee, that will make the Germans happy to. No precedent in the past of a Franco-Russian alliance and problems with Germany. Round three, coming up.

[Consort]

A giant step for the Russia's future dominance of Europe.

[pttttt]

One is reminded of an old Kliban cartoon:

"Hey Europe! Eat My Florida!".

Would post it if I could find it.

[Oztrich Boy]

France and Russia are currently working to develop a new generation MiG fighter plane and Mr Ivanov indicated that other projects are also being undertaken, according to Izvestia.

Ha, The French will design and build it, their "partner" pays the development cost: That's how military coöperation projects with the French work.

[RightWhale]

Defence against whom???

Defense against Ivorian hegemony?

[RLK]

Defense against what or whom?

[Brett66]

The U.S. of course.

[Torie]

Russia has no capacity to dominate anything, and its future prospects only portend a continued diminution in its relative power. Among other things, it is demographically imploding.

[prairiebreeze]

I have to wonder if enough Germans remember enough about it to care.

??

Prairie

[cynicom]

I thought maybe they suspected Greenland was up to something.

[Dog Gone]

A giant step for the Russia's future dominance of Europe.

Not hardly. There are plenty of countries in eastern Europe who aren't ready for the Russians to play a dominant role, and the US will be there to make sure that it doesn't happen.

France is trying to find a friend in the world. Russia will do. Hell, Cuba will do at this point.

[Consort]

Not hardly.

That very sentiment preceeded two World Wars, among other atrocities. It was also the bases behind the movie, Ship of Fools. Russia has the size, human and natural resources, patience, and desire to do so. They will accomplish it by joining European alliances, not attacking them.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

European Defense is an oxymoron.

[lainde]

Not so fast...Here's an eye opener thread if you missed it:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/901757/posts

[cynicom]

Russia has a six hundred pound gorilla living next door, one that is getting bigger and stronger every day.