Europe must be more ambitious, says Sarkozy. France at the forefront of the fight against terrorism

(BRUXELLES2) The speech to Nicolas Sarkozy's ambassadors, vintage 2010, was an international offensive speech. Sarkozy wanted to be largely ambitious for Europe, believing that it should stop being "naive" and become a "global economic power", even calling for it to use its economic weapons if necessary. He wanted to be explanatory on Afghanistan (we will stay there "as long as it takes"), offensive on Iran, described as an enemy. But, above all, he wanted to place France at the forefront of the global anti-terrorist fight, in a posture very Georges Bush 2001.

An ambition for a Europe, a global power

Europe must stop being naive...

For Nicolas Sarkozy, Europe is still too nice and thin in its international relations. "With 500 million citizens and an economic power which represents 30% of world GDP, more than 35% of total world direct investment abroad and even nearly 60% of total public development aid, the Union European Union holds the necessary cards to establish itself as a global economic power. (...) We have no complex to have. But let's not hesitate to play on this, rigorously and firmly, to open up markets that have been too closed until now! And the president not to hesitate to "denounces(r) a certain European naivety in trade relations".

... and use economic weapons

«Let's not hesitate to fight to impose respect for the rules of fair competition! This is not protectionism. he pleads. " Do not hesitate to fight tax dumping, social dumping and environmental dumping! We cannot continue to impose rules on our industrialists and our farmers, which apply to those who produce in Europe, and from which we would exempt those who produce outside Europe, since we would continue to import products manufactured without respecting any social or environmental rules. To say that is not to undermine freedom of trade, it is simply to ask Europe to engage in its trade negotiations with less naivety. »

A defense Europe calibrated to new challenges

" I'Europe cannot limit itself to economic issues, however important they may behe storms. " There are all security and defense issues. We will not defend Europe with procedural walls and paper battalions ". And to urge Europeans to take the measure of new challenges: the security of the seas, space and cyberspace. “Faced with threats against our vital interests, we have nuclear deterrence. But in the face of new challenges, Europeans are falling behind, when they also have to take part in the security of the seas, which is essential for our trade, in the security of space and, henceforth, of cyberspace »

Upcoming Franco-British projects

We can notice that no concrete project is outlined. “France is ready to commit to concrete projects notes the president simply. And if there are proposals, it is just as much bilaterally as at EU level. " I heard the statements of our British allies on bilateral cooperation with France. We will discuss it with them without taboo and we will take important decisions in November during the next Franco-British Summit. »

An agreement with Russia

With Russia, Sarkozy specifies, there are common interests (to) develop ". Here again, France intends to be a driving force. She " will make as of next month (NB: September) specific proposals concerning the raRussia's relations with the European Union and with NATO, or within the framework of the OSCE which will hold its summit in early December in Astana »

Degrease NATO

On NATO, the degreasing of the mammoth (as Allègre would have said when he spoke of National Education) turns out to be a priority task: “ We will have to reform our structures, degrease them, adapt them to the new international situation”. But the president does not overstate relations with the EU: “ New threats call for a renewed and closer NATO relationship with the European Union »

France takes up the torch in the fight against terrorism

An arc of crisis from Pakistan to the Sahel

The French president thus describes a “ arc of crisis that extends from the borders of Pakistan to the borders of the Sahel, naturally passing through Iran and the Middle East ". An arc which furiously resembles the American theory of the arc of crises evoked by Zbigniew Brzezinski in 1978 (read the Times from 1979), taken up by Georges Bush in his "axis of evil" then an axis of terrorism and in the plan developed by the Pentagon in 2004 aiming to have bases around an "arc of crises". The same words, the same countries are thus described.

«The fight against terrorism remains an absolutely top priority - explains the president. All analyzes confirm that, since 2001, Al Qaeda's ability to launch devastating attacks against Western countries has been greatly reduced. On the other hand, Al Qaeda and those who claim to be part of it have increased their influence in certain States, in an arc that goes from Pakistan to Mali. Each country faces a specific situation. There is currently no operational coordination between the groups acting from one end of this arc of crisis to the other. But if the situation were to deteriorate, the risk would be immense of seeing a continuous chain appear linking the terrorist bases of Quetta and South Afghanistan to those of Yemen, those of Somalia and those of the Sahel. There is a real concern here of an arc of crisis of terrorism. »

France takes over the fight against terrorism

So much for the analysis. On the action side, Nicolas Sarkozy promises all his help “ without reservation " to the "governments that request it to train, equip, inform the mobile forces they need to eliminate groups that threaten to destabilize the entire Sahel". Referring to Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, he adds: “their fight against terrorism is ours, because their security cannot be separated from ours ».

Nicolas Sarkozy also promised “step up its efforts in Somalia, in response to requests from the African Union”. Because " The victory (of the Islamist militias of Shebab) in Mogadishu would transform Somalia into a starting base for Al Qaeda, it would be a disaster. This would complete the destabilization of an entire region already weakened by the rifts in Sudan. »

An enemy: Iran

But the enemy, "at the heart of this arc of crisis", is known, it is "Iran". An Iran (who)” feeds violence and extremism in the region and today represents the main threat to international security in a major area, which is that of proliferation ". And Sarkozy to warn. " If a credible agreement could not be concluded (on nuclear power), then Iran's isolation would increase inexorably and, faced with a threat that would become clearer, we would also have to organize ourselves to protect and defend the States which would feel threatened. . »

Incidentally, Sarkozy endorses the Sakineh case like that of France, "France considers that it has the responsibility".

In Afghanistan, everyone must assume their responsibilities

Far from "catastrophism" in Afghanistan, the president wants to put things in their place: the Taliban " strong in the south and in the east ", the " rest of the country (without) major violence ". This seems a tad optimistic... In any case, the Chief of the Armies reaffirms: “France will remain engaged in Afghanistan, with its allies, for as long as necessary and as long as the Afghan people wish. » But he also draws up a warning: everyone must fully assume its responsibilities”.

He thus draws up the roadmap of the "allies": 1) “defend the Afghans in regions where the Taliban threatens, 2) “train Afghan security forces able to fight on their own, 3) “provide the population with civilian aid adapted to their real needs”. “What France is doing in its area of ​​responsibility, Kapisa and Surobi he adds. In other words, everyone has to do the same.

The Afghan government, for its part, must improve the country's governance, fight corruption, fight drugs and no doubt offer reconciliation to those who renounce violence and cut all ties with Al Qaeda by respecting Afghan institutions, (finally) prepare seriously to take charge the security of the provinces and districts (...) considered to be quite stable ».

As for Pakistan, it must “defeat terrorism at home " and to have " less (...) ambiguity on the commitment of Pakistani forces against terrorism ».

A 2nd conference on aid to Palestine

Wishing to reintegrate into the game of the Middle East, from which France is excluded for the moment, and where Europe plays a minor role, Sarkozy considers that “A peace agreement, the parameters of which everyone knows, can be signed within a year » and offers to host the 2nd conference of aid to the Palestinian people in Paris « to finance the completion of the construction of the economy and the structures of the future state » and to organize the second summit of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona at the end of November.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(photo credit: Elysee)