[lg policy] EU: Post-election Entene Cordiale?

[Harold Schiffman]

Post-election Entene Cordiale?
Daniel Korski 11:05am

If there is a strategic thought lurking inside the Tories' grab bag of
foreign policy ideas, it seems to be closer cooperation with France,
particularly on defence matters. Should William Hague become Foreign
Secretary after the election, he might end up working with a new
French counterpart, as rumours persist about Bernard Kouchner's
imminent departure (knowing this, he apparently even floated his own
name for the Kabul UN job). A new Parisian counterpart for Hague - for
example, the current French Agriculture Minister, Bruno Le Marie -
could make a new Entente Cordiale easier.

But, even then, would the French be up for closer links with the UK?
Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have just unveiled a new 10-year
plan, including 80 projects designed to improve Franco-German
cooperation. The "Franco-German Agenda 2020" outlines plans for
everything from joint ministerial sessions, to combined political and
economic policy-making, education initiatives, language learning
programs, and even simplified Franco-German marriage regulations. As
President Sarkozy said at a joint press conference with Angela Merkel:
"without us, nothing can work ... We just want to ensure that a
politically strong Europe exists. And for that, Germany and France
must cooperate." That does not sound like an invitation to greater
cross-Channel cooperation.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/5753963/postelection-entene-cordiale.thtml

-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner
or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents.
Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal.
(H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list