France ends four-decade Nato rift
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced his country is to return to Nato’s military command, reversing four decades of self-imposed exile.
Mr Sarkozy confirmed the decision in a speech to defence experts at the Ecole Militaire staff college in Paris.
President Charles de Gaulle pulled France out of Nato’s integrated military command in 1966, saying it undermined France’s sovereignty.
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He said Nato remained a central element of France’s security and defence policies, but stressed that he would not give up the country’s independent nuclear deterrent.Mr Sarkozy is expected to formalise the move with a letter to Nato before the alliance celebrates its 60th anniversary next month with a summit in the French city of Strasbourg.
CNN’s headline reads, Sarkozy puts government on line over NATO
I’ll post more on this tomorrow.
