CAPE TOWN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - France is to renegotiate all its defence cooperation agreements with African countries, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday in a move that could alter France's military support for some of its closest allies. France has defence cooperation agreements with several of its former colonies, under which French armed forces provide African states with varying degrees of military assistance. "All the heads of state concerned have been informed," Sarkozy told a news conference while on an official visit to South Africa. "I will talk about this issue this afternoon in the South African parliament," Sarkozy said, adding: "I will announce the renegotiation of all our defence agreements in Africa and the totally transparent publication of all of these agreements."
CAPE TOWN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - France is to renegotiate all its defence cooperation agreements with African countries, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday in a move that could alter France's military support for some of its closest allies.
France has defence cooperation agreements with several of its former colonies, under which French armed forces provide African states with varying degrees of military assistance.
"All the heads of state concerned have been informed," Sarkozy told a news conference while on an official visit to South Africa.
"I will talk about this issue this afternoon in the South African parliament," Sarkozy said, adding: "I will announce the renegotiation of all our defence agreements in Africa and the totally transparent publication of all of these agreements."
This is a new one:
...totally transparent publication...
These treaties do not necessarily entail joining war efforts of one or the other treaty signatory nation; terms of defence agreements could include anything from joint military exercises for training purposes, exchange knowledge, info/intel, etc. and don't usually reflect an 'aggressive' nature but more on the defensive.
I won't be surprised to learn that Belgium too has signed cooperations of this nature with a few countries not only in Africa but also in Asia.
If it's true that Pres Sarkozy has promised to make public the defence cooperations France signs with other nations, that's a good step forward. I believe the French people have a right to know, scrutinize and ask questions, have a say about the treaties that the French govt signs with other nations.
