Britain and France Engage in Bitter Dispute Over Europe's New Defence Force

A significant rift between Britain and France has emerged at the EU summit in Nice, France, over the creation of Europe's new defence force. The dispute, sparked by French President Jacques Chirac's demand for an independent EU military planning capability, has raised concerns among British ministers that the new force could undermine Nato.

Key Takeaways:

• The French president, Jacques Chirac, insisted that the EU rapid reaction force should be independent of Nato, sparking a bitter dispute with Britain.
• British Prime Minister Tony Blair hit back at Chirac, stating that there is no proposal for a separate European military planning capability.
• The EU's rapid reaction force is designed to be able to send 60,000 troops into peace-keeping or crisis intervention missions by 2003.
• Britain will contribute 12,000 troops from a pool of 24,000 men to the EU force.
• The French presidency has long taken the view that Europe's defence force should be able to use national military planning centres, as well as those of the alliance.
• The row has dealt a blow to Blair's campaign to persuade the British public that the defence force will not be an "EU army."
• British sources dismissed the EU's military officials as a group of 20 people and stressed that the European Commission will have a "zero" role in defence.

Statistics:

• 60,000: The number of troops the EU rapid reaction force is designed to be able to send into peace-keeping or crisis intervention missions by 2003.
• 12,000: The number of British troops that will be contributed to the EU force from a pool of 24,000 men.
• 2003: The year by which the EU's rapid reaction force is designed to be fully operational.

Sources:

• [1 January 2000, Telegraph]