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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, February 05, 2003

France, Britain to Step Up Military Cooperation

France and Britain on Tuesday agreed to step up military cooperation inside the European Union, with a plan to have at least one aircraft carrier naval group permanently ready for war.


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France and Britain on Tuesday agreed to step up military cooperation inside the European Union, with a plan to have at least one aircraft carrier naval group permanently ready for war.

French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister TonyBlair reached the deal and issued a joint declaration following the 25th summit in the French northern resort city of Le Touquet.

"France and the United Kingdom stood together to face the security challenges Europe confronted throughout the 20th century.Today Europe must address new security challenges," said the declaration.

"France and the UK are determined to strengthen their cooperation, working with their partners, to ensure Europe is equipped to deal with them effectively," it said.

The two nations reaffirmed their engagement to reinforce the EUcrisis management and military capacities.

For this end, they pledged to build a European naval force madeup of one aircraft carrier and other vessels, which will be on a permanent war footing.

They reaffirmed the commitment to set up a EU rapid reaction force of 60,000 men by the end of 2003.

France and Britain also said they will press for a mutual defense clause to be accepted by the Convention on the Future of Europe and urged the creation of an EU defense agency.

The two countries agreed to work closely on the construction ofthree new aircraft carriers, two for Britain and one for France.

Last week, Britain decided that its two new carriers will be built by the BAE System in alliance with the French arms group Thales.

In Le Touquet, Chirac said he is satisfied with the British decision and France will study the project of building its new aircraft carrier in cooperation with Britain.


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