Britain, France and the European defence initiative

Since late 1998, a France-British engine has driven remarkable progress in European defence. Continued progress, however, will depend on a basic agreement on ultimate goals between the leading partners. Are the French and the British really on the same wavelength? Are their visions for ESDP equally compatible with a strengthened and re-balanced Alliance? While London and Paris have successfully married their policies for the short-term, it is unclear whether, in the longer term, their strategic ambitions can be reconciled. France wants to promote a European project (ESDP) by using an Atlanticist instrument (NATO). The UK aims first and foremost to preserve the cohesion of the Alliance, by using a European instrument (ESDP). The compatibility of these aims in the long term will depend on the evolution of the Alliance itself. Without genuine mutual understanding and a clear common purpose particularly between London and Paris - the Alliance could begin to unravel.