Euro Navy lauches 'coastguard' plan to test the water

Copyright held by: A & C BLACK LTD A & C BLACK (Publishers) Limited, of 35 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4JH

ROYAL NAVY WARSHIP MAY FORM PART OF EU FLEET

Royal Navy vessels could take part in a new “European Union fleet” being planned by France.

By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent
Published: 8:14PM BST 17 Jun 2008

The French proposal would see a British aircraft carrier placed at the heart of a new EU naval group.

The prospect of such close co-operation between two navies whose clashes include the Battle of Trafalgar is likely to outrage eurosceptics and is already said to have caused concern among British admirals.

The plan for an EU naval force is being put forward by Nicholas Sarkozy, the French president.

Gordon Brown and Mr Sarkozy are said to have discussed the plan earlier this year, and French officials have described the talks between London and Paris as “well advanced.”

Mr Sarkozy will take over the rotating presidency of the EU next month and plans to use the role to push for greater European defence co-operation.

The French leader sees the EU project as France’s reward for rejoining NATO’s military structures.

Aides to Herve Morin, the French defence minister, this week briefed journalists in Paris that France will use the EU presidency to propose a “European carrier group”, which would ensure that the union always has at least one carrier at sea.

The German Defence Ministry in Berlin has also confirmed that Germany is open to participating in the joint force and is awaiting more details from Mr Sarkozy.

Britain and France have the largest aircraft carrier fleets in the EU and agreement between London and Paris would be the key to any shared naval force.

Greater EU co-operation over carriers could solve at least one problem for the MoD.
Some naval analysts say that current UK defence spending plans mean that the Navy will not have enough destroyers and other support ships to properly support and protect the new generation of carriers now being built.

Under Mr Sarkozy’s plan, other EU nations could help provide such vessels.

Britain’s multibillion pound plan to buy two new aircraft carriers has been hit by delays and budget troubles.

France is also building a single new carrier.

There is extensive Anglo-French industrial co-operation on the massive construction project, and there has been speculation that the two countries could save money by sharing a carrier.

The Ministry of Defence said there was no question of Britain and Paris sharing a carrier.

“There are no plans for the UK and French navies to share carriers,” the MoD said in a statement.

But the ministry did not rule out more co-operation between the Royal Navy and its French counterpart.

The MoD said: “However, the UK and French Navies continue to work closely together and co-operate on carrier operations, and will continue to do so in the future.”

The Conservatives plan to press defence ministers about the French proposal in a Commons debate on Thursday.

Gerald Howarth, the Tory defence spokesman, said: “We need to know if this is an attempt by the Government to ingratiate itself with EU allies and in so doing sell the Royal Navy down the river.”

# www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2147016/Royal-Navy-warshi...

Taken on: October 27, 2009

Tags:

Euro

Navy

EU more »

fleet

James

Kirkup

Nicholas

Sarkozy

French

Gordon

Brown

Gerald

Howard

defence

spokesman

NATO

Army

Willem

Ruiter

EMSA

Julian

Brazier

coastguard

Lisbon

Treaty

mark

beast

666

armageddon

saintalban « less

Sets appears in: • EURO BARMY

Stats: 1,518 views

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: