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Today, @florence_parly and @BWallaceMP @DefenceHQ produced a little ambitious joint declaration, on10th anniversary of Lancaster House treaties #LancasterHouse10. UK-FR defence clearly hasen't been top priority in 2020, w Covid19, Brexit, US election. Why and should we care? 1/
The first five years (2010-2015) had been more successful
with much of today's success stories -- @byMBDA, MMCM, CJEF, joint ops -- achieved then, as I wrote in a blog on @UltimaRatio_ a lifetime ago http://ultimaratio-blog.org/archives/7370
with much of today's success stories -- @byMBDA, MMCM, CJEF, joint ops -- achieved then, as I wrote in a blog on @UltimaRatio_ a lifetime ago http://ultimaratio-blog.org/archives/7370
Later came industrial disagreements, the #Brexit saga, and changes in government. Political support has waned. Brexit has altered the incentives for the UK and France, to work together as I have explored with @gmfus https://www.gmfus.org/publications/frances-defense-partnerships-and-dilemmas-brexit and also here https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/80770792.pdf
Yet, despite the challenges of cooperation, over the years, bilateral links between the military, the industry, the nuclear communities, the intelligence services, the parliaments have thrived, as I analyse in depth in my new book @McGillQueensUP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K3VLB6Q/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb
Articulating UK-France relations with other partnerships, #Germany, #US, #EU has proven challenging. But I argue those efforts are complementary: https://www.ifri.org/fr/publications/etudes-de-lifri/focus-strategique/complementarite-concurrence-cooperation-franco
The UK with its Integrated Review has an opportunity to rethink its partnerships post-Covid, post-Brexit and with or without #Trump. This includes expanding cooperation with Paris on new issues #Tech #China #space https://warontherocks.com/2020/08/strategic-suspense-british-foreign-and-defense-policy-at-a-crossroads/
The relationship between UK and France is "special in Europe", to quote @ALapsleyFCDO. They have no choice but to cooperate. Every year without progress has to be made up for in the face of necessity. A political "relance" is needed, as I argue in @Defnat https://fr.calameo.com/read/000558115c64c7cfab984
End of the shameless self-promotion! /fin
