Lord Rifkin advocates for a new «Entente cordiale» with France
Posted by seumasach on February 3, 2010
3rd February, 2010
Through a column in The Times, Sir Malcolm Rifkin has called for a new “entente cordiale” with France within the NATO structure.[1]
As former British Minister of Defence and of Foreign Affairs, he considers that only a Franco-British military pact would make it possible to harmonize expensive military equipment. This would result in significant savings that would enable the United Kingdom to continue to rank as a great power.
Historically, Franco-British alliances have always existed concurrently with German-Russian alliances. Lord Rifkin’s proposal would thus imply an acceleration of a divorce between French and Germany and the weakening of the European Union.
However, this project might also fit in with the dominant idea in London of a general reorganisation of the Empire. It would be established on two equivalent pillars: the United States and a European Union led by France, while the United Kingdom would be the bridge between the two and in the centre of the decision-making. In this case, it will be necessary to restrain Berlin’s pro-Russian leanings, in exchange for other interests in Central Europe.
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[1] A pact with France will keep us fighting fit, by Malcolm Rifkin, The Times, 1 February 2010.
