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 Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon"A more effective European contribution to Nato"  real 28k Tory defence spokesman Iain Duncan Smith"A deep disquiet in the US" real 28kGraham Satchell reports for BBC News"British beef is not on the menu or on the agenda"  real 28k Andrew Gilligan reports for the BBC"Kosovo showed the need for change" real 28k |
UK and France bolster defence ties
Critics fear the deal will lead to a common European army |
The UK Government has denied that moves towards closer military co-operation with France will undermine Nato.
Under a new defence deal expected being thrashed out at the Anglo-French summit in London the two countries will share some personnel and equipment.
Soldiers from one country could come under the day-to-day command of officers from the other.
Geoff Hoon: "US supports closer European cooperation on defence" |
UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon rejected Tory claims that this is a step towards a common European army and could alienate Britain's allies in Washington.
At the summit, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and French President Jacques Chirac are also discussing the possibility of a European rapid reaction force to respond swiftly to problems like the Kosovo conflict.
It likely they will draw up proposals which will be put to other European Union nations at the Helsinki summit next month.
Mr Blair and Mr Chirac also discussed the progress of moves to end the French ban on British beef.
A British government spokesman said both men had agreed progress was being made and things were moving in the right direction.
But British beef was not on the menu at lunch at Downing Street. Instead the leaders dined on British pheasant and French wines.
Lessons of Kosovo
Mr Hoon insisted that the US Government supported closer European integration on defence.
"US policy supports the development of a European security and defence identity," he said.
"What we are working for is a more effective European contribution to Nato.
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"Notwithstanding an enormous paper strength the reality was only 2% of the combined armed forces of Europe were actually available.
"What we want to see is a much stronger European contribution to Nato strengthening the way Nato does its business."
Mr Hoon also denied Britain was being "dragged along" by France towards an anti-American policy.
"It is perfectly possible, arising out of much closer military arrangements between the UK and France, certainly in a European context, that we can draw France closer to Nato," he said.
'UK playing to French agenda'
But Tory defence spokesman Iain Duncan Smith insisted that there was "a deep disquiet" in Washington about what was going on.
"This whole deal plays to a French agenda which has been going for 40 years which is about dividing Nato," he said.
"The whole point is that for the past 40 years Britain has acted very carefully to block any moves that could divide Nato artificially."
Mr Duncan Smith said the US was worried about the development of "an EU-led force - let's call it a European army - eventually acting by default before Nato. In other word Nato not having a block on operations.
"If that happens what you end up with is the arguments in America for them withdrawing from Nato getting stronger and stronger and then you then get the split and divide.
"At the end of the day this isn't going to improve the effectiveness one little bit."
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03 Jun 99 | Europe |
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Europe agrees military co-operation plan |
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08 Sep 99 | UK Politics |
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EU needs stronger defence - Robertson |
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