A l’occasion de la rencontre Merkel-Sarkozy, le ministre fran\u00e7ais Herv\u00e9 Morin donne une interview \u00e0 la FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung<\/em>). EUObserver.com<\/em> d’aujourd’hui<\/a> nous en fait un rapport succinct. La chose est domin\u00e9e par une confirmation: la d\u00e9fense europ\u00e9enne sera un point central, fondamental, voire r\u00e9volutionnaire de la pr\u00e9sidence fran\u00e7aise de l’UE en juillet-d\u00e9cembre 2008.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00abIn an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, French defence minister Herv\u00e9 Morin said that Paris will put defence high on the agenda when it takes over the rotating presidency of the EU in the second half of 2008.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00bbMr Morin described European defence as an absolute priority which is at least as important for European integration as the EU’s common currency, the euro.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00bbWith the common currency, we have created a strong symbol for Europe. But nothing can better express the European community of fate than common defence, a common sense of Europe’s threats and security interests, he said.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00bbA kind of European conscience can grow over the question where, if need be, we want to defend our values with weapons, he stated. This is why during the presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2008 we would like to press ahead with a Europe of defence.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00bbMr Morin said Paris is still co-ordinating with its EU partners what its presidency agenda would mean in practical terms, but said independent crisis capacities for Europe would be one key goal.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00bbAn own planning staff in Brussels forms part of our ideas, as well as the development of a European security strategy for the coming years, he said.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\u00bbI could also imagine a sort of military Erasmus programme with an institutionalised exchange of professional soldiers within the EU. Of course this would require a harmonization of military education, at least at the start of careers.<\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \tL’article met en \u00e9vidence les r\u00e9actions de d\u00e9fiance des Britanniques devant ces projets, ce qui n’est pas pour surprendre. Toute id\u00e9e d’\u00e9tat-major europ\u00e9en int\u00e9gr\u00e9 (type-Tervueren, comme Fran\u00e7ais, Allemands, Belges et Luxembourgeois avaient envisag\u00e9 en avril 2003<\/a>) met en effet les Britanniques en transe. D’autre part, l’article rappelle la force de l’engagement de Sarkozy dans cette voie europ\u00e9enne, et combien cette intention est li\u00e9e \u00e0 ses intentions vis-\u00e0-vis de l’OTAN: \u00abSpeaking before the US Congress last week, Mr Sarkozy said NATO cannot be everywhere…The EU must be able to act. I say it here before this Congress, he stated. The more successful we are in the establishment of a European defence, the more France will be resolved to resume its full role in NATO.<\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n<\/p>\n