[A-List] France: military spending increase

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

France set to boost military spending
By Victor Mallet in Paris
Financial Times: September 12 2002

France's government on Wednesday approved a six-year plan to boost
military spending, in a drive to narrow the gap between the French and
UK armed forces and advance European defence co-operation in a world
dominated by the US.

The rightwing cabinet adopted a programme that provides nearly EUR1bn
($990m) a year more for military equipment between 2003 and 2008 than an
earlier draft proposed by the previous, Socialist-led government.

The plan covers the ordering of a second aircraft carrier and aims to
eliminate backlogs in equipment purchases and maintenance.

France now plans to spend EUR13.65bn on defence equipment next year,
rising to EUR15.08bn by 2008. Its overall defence budget will rise from
about 1.8 per cent of gross domestic product today to more than 2 per
cent.

"What's important for France is to be a real partner, a credible partner
for the British and to play a leading role in the construction of
European defence," said Michèle Alliot-Marie, defence minister. The
document is expected to be passed into law by the government's
overwhelming majority in parliament.

The Gaullist President Jacques Chirac, who was re-elected in May, has
put the rebuilding of the French armed forces at the top of his agenda.
In a reference to the September 11 terror attacks a year ago, the
Elysées palace said on Wednesday that the law would give France the
means to control its destiny "in the face of new kinds of threats".

US impatience with its European allies has deepened over the past year.
Europe is often criticised for its low levels of military spending and
its reliance on US firepower in times of global crisis.

Ms Alliot-Marie acknowledged there was no chance that Europe would begin
to match US weapons spending. Her officials, furthermore, said the
French plan contained only EUR600m of funding for the new aircraft
carrier, which is likely to cost EUR2bn and not come into service for at
least a decade.

But she said Europe, led by the UK and France, should make an effort to
build a credible defence system that would enable it to act
independently if necessary. "What's important is that we have the means
for autonomy of decision and of action."

Ms Alliot-Marie, who was questioned about delayed commitments from
various European governments to the A400M military transport aircraft,
observed that some European states had not shown the same willingness to
invest in defence as the UK and France.