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02/11/2010
UK And France Sign Joint Defence Deal
The UK and France have signed a joint deal on defence, which will see the two countries cooperate on number of areas including troops and nuclear testing facilities.
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Nicolas Sarkozy signed the treaties at the Anglo-French summit in London.
Mr Cameron described the treaties as a "new chapter in a long history of co-operation on defence and security between Britain and France".
The agreement will see the two countries pool resources in a number of areas, including troop training and nuclear testing.
The measures include the introduction of a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, which will see British and French troops training to deploy on operations together, as well as the establishment of two nuclear testing centres - one in the UK to develop testing technology and the other in France to carry out the testing.
Each country will also keep at least one aircraft carrier at sea between them at any one time, which both countries could use.
Other measures include joint work on a range of drones, mine counter-measures and satellite communications and plans to allow French fighter jets to use British tanker aircraft for refuelling.
The move comes as both countries set to make cuts in their defence spending.
Downing Street described the measures as "practical", however Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy warned that the treaties posed "some big questions" from the Government over whether they risked becoming "reliant" on the UK's allies "to fill in the gaps in the Government's defence policy".
(KMcA/GK)
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Nicolas Sarkozy signed the treaties at the Anglo-French summit in London.
Mr Cameron described the treaties as a "new chapter in a long history of co-operation on defence and security between Britain and France".
The agreement will see the two countries pool resources in a number of areas, including troop training and nuclear testing.
The measures include the introduction of a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, which will see British and French troops training to deploy on operations together, as well as the establishment of two nuclear testing centres - one in the UK to develop testing technology and the other in France to carry out the testing.
Each country will also keep at least one aircraft carrier at sea between them at any one time, which both countries could use.
Other measures include joint work on a range of drones, mine counter-measures and satellite communications and plans to allow French fighter jets to use British tanker aircraft for refuelling.
The move comes as both countries set to make cuts in their defence spending.
Downing Street described the measures as "practical", however Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy warned that the treaties posed "some big questions" from the Government over whether they risked becoming "reliant" on the UK's allies "to fill in the gaps in the Government's defence policy".
(KMcA/GK)
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