Times Online: Nicolas Sarkozy calls for rethink over US missile defence system in Europe - by David Charter
Nicolas Sarkozy calls for rethink over US missile defence system in Europe - by David Charter
Barack Obama was handed an early foreign policy hot potato yesterday when President Sarkozy proposed a truce in the row over US plans for a missile defence system in Europe. Taking it upon himself to make the EU’s first intervention in the debate – and getting the backing of Russia, which has threatened to position missiles in Kaliningrad – Mr Sarkozy proposed a summit next year on a new pan-European security system, after a suspension of activity from both Moscow and Washington. The French President’s latest piece of off-the-cuff diplomacy caught most of the main players by surprise and raised eyebrows for seemingly trying to bounce the next US President into a policy change as well as talks about a security organisation to rival Nato
Note EU-Digest: compliments to Mr. Sarkozy. The "missile project" was an initiative by the Bush administration, against the wishes of a majority of the citizens in the countries involved and the EU. The missile shield plan also turned into a major stumbling block for Russia and the EU to develop neccesary closer ties. Mr. Obama once in the White House does best to scrap it.
Labels: EU, France, G20, Nicolas Sarkozy, US
