INTERVIEW – The former head of state believes that in the current security emergency, it will increase military spending by 32 billion euros during the next five years.
in an interview with Le Figaro , the president of Republicans detailed proposals on defense and pleads for a new European treaty.
LE FIGARO. – In a deteriorating security situation, move to defense a top priority
Nicolas SARKOZY ?. – France is in a state of emergency within and outside war. Guard down would be meaningless. We must make an unprecedented effort to preserve the security of French in and defend our interests abroad. The defense is a priority. This is a major effort and long term. I hope that the security forces at large are exempt from all the downsizing we have planned for all other administrations without exception.
Among the financial efforts that are coming face modernization of nuclear deterrence. Y do you support?
I will never accept that France renounces nuclear deterrence in its two components, underwater and airborne. It is the foundation of our national independence, inherited from de Gaulle. It is consubstantial with our permanent seat of the UN Security Council. This will require us to spend additional 2 billion euros annually from 2021 to modernize the string of deterrence. It is a strategic choice which I will not compromise.
Do you undertake to increase the defense budget?
Our armies are extremely serious financial situation embolism. I have never seen such erratic in the five-year defense funding – reversing, with three years of declining enrollment and forward. All that time lost lead in 2019 to the army format we had planned in 2009, or 268,000 people. I want to establish a strategic review from summer 2017 to make commitments that we will be able to hold on for a five year term. Time is no longer the “white papers” and military planning laws twenty who are generally challenged by the next government. Today, our armies are overemployed and funding is not at the rendezvous. The billion announced to restore operational condition in the hardware is not there, external operations (OPEX) are not funded, the load transfers accumulate and nobody knows how to maintain the workforce we will fund. It would be better to book the effort for the safety of French rather than increasing in a few weeks the billions of spending irresponsibly …
Is the target of spending 2% of the budget defense as requested NATO?
the budget is currently 32 billion euros. For the first time since 1945, France has a defense budget lower than in Germany (34 billion). What a symbol! This speaks volumes about the loss of influence of France, on the German ambitions and lack of French ambition. An unprecedented effort for the defense budget is essential. We plan to bring it to 1.85% of GDP, against 1.5% today, 35 billion euros in 2018 and 41 billion in 2022. This represents nearly 32 cumulative additional billion over the whole next five. Our goal is to reach 2% of GDP in 2025.
“I wish the extension of military service adapted existing overseas. My idea is this: the day of their 18 years, those who do not have jobs or who do not follow training will undertake compulsory military service adapted one year “
Are you thinking of restoring a form of military service?
We must at all costs maintain the link between the army and the nation. I wish the extension of adapted military service already exists in oversea. Each year, there are 100,000 young people who “drop out” and disappear from the radar of Education. My idea is this: the day of their 18 years, those who do not have jobs or who do not follow training will make a mandatory adapted military service a year. They will learn the rules of life in common, possibly pass their driving license, learning a language. This military service will be supervised by the army on the model of what is done overseas and that works very well. Fifty young 1000-60000 may be affected at a cost that I estimate at 400 million. This budget will be taken from that of Education and not of Defense.
Must the army intervene in the country as it currently does in the context of the operation “Sentinel”?
I mean my questions and my reservations. The army did not make the task of the gendarmerie and the police. These soldiers are trained to use their weapons in a theater of war, not as part of police operations, even when it comes to attacks. Certainly, “Sentinel” has not shown that the disadvantages, reassuring the population and allowing the army to protect its workforce. But eventually, the army must intervene in overseas theaters, the police and gendarmerie in the domestic theater. If problems of manpower, priority must activate the reserve police and gendarmes, whose job it is.
Can the French armies continue to deploy in all operations round?
We need to review the format of Opex. Our military forces must act to protect our citizens abroad and defend our strategic interests, they are not intended to be occupation forces or police forces outside, as is too often the case . In Central Africa, we should not intervene more than a few months. I am surprised the inability of the current government to mobilize a coalition around the French forces in Mali. We are virtually alone in the Sahel to take with 3000 men a vast territory three times the size France. How long will we stay? I wish Opex redefined their missions and conducted with allies. – As I did in Libya in 2011 under an international mandate
Should we exclude military spending from the calculation of deficit?
I do not believe in this possibility. None of our partners will accept it and, in addition, the reasoning is dangerous. However, when the interests of Europe are at stake, as is the case in Syria, it would be normal for a financial participation of Europe.
“in the organization of the euro area, go to the end of integration: I propose the establishment of a European monetary Fund and a general secretary of the economic government that acts like a real director treasure “
Several senior officers have controversy by speaking publicly. What do you think?
General Bertrand Soubelet told the truth about the increasing violence in our country. He made his statements following a hearing before a parliamentary committee. We expecting him to lie to the national representation? He told the truth, that of a criminal policy in spite of common sense by Minister of Justice, Mrs Taubira, who had taken no time to measure its function. The reactions of her political hierarchy were displaced. I would have preferred that it is not obliged to publish a book. But between denial and truth spoken by General Soubelet I am alongside those who tell the truth
This Monday marks the Day of Europe. What -which no longer works in the European Union?
at the point where we are, we need a new treaty, a treaty refounding. This is the proposal that France will put on the table early in the alternation. And that whatever the outcome of the referendum on the Brexit. If the UK out of the EU, it will be a disaster for them and for us, heralding a period of great economic and political uncertainty. Otherwise, it will obviously be very good news, but a genuine refoundation of Europe does not remain less necessary.
What would this new treaty?
It will have to change two things primarily: the skills of the Community institutions and their functioning. There are actually two Europe who no longer need the same policies. In the organization of the euro area, go to the end of Integration: I propose the establishment of a European Monetary Fund and a general secretary of economic government that acts like a real director of the Treasury. The IMF has no legitimacy to take care of business in the EU, particularly given the weight What did the United States. The legitimacy of the economic government of the euro area should be based on the union of France and Germany, because we represent 50% of GDP.
What about the others?
with regard to Europe at 28, you must completely revise the allocation of powers between the States and the Union. Europe takes care of too many things. These include the need to end the excesses of the Commission on “delegated acts”. Europe must focus its expertise on not more than ten priority common policies. In particular, the Law of the European competition must be completely reviewed. The European Commission can not be at once an executive, a legislature and a court. Europe must again be understood by Europeans.
“This is a humiliation for Europe to be manipulated by the Turkish authorities. The lifting of the visa requirement is foolishness in the security and migration context we know “
The migration crisis showed the EU’s vulnerability to its environment: Do you approve the agreement with Turkey?
It is a humiliation for Europe to be manipulated by the Turkish authorities. The lifting of the visa requirement is foolishness in the security and migration context we know. It is normal to help Turkey with several million refugees home, but are we sure that the 6 billion euros promised Ankara could not be better spent elsewhere? And the EU opens new chapters in negotiations for the accession of a State that is not even on the list of safe countries of asylum! Has there been greater inconsistency? Add to this that Merkel has negotiated one, directly with President Erdogan and that during the last visit to Europe by President Obama, he traveled to Germany and the UK ignoring … Where was France François Hollande Meanwhile? At a meeting of “Hey oh the left!”
Are you favorable to the development of a European defense?
An integrated European defense such a good idea, contrary to the principle of national independence. Should we put the French nuclear fire under the authority of Twenty-Eight? One would be wiped out before he summoned the heads of State and Government. You have not seen a European coalition and you will never see. It does not delegate its security is based: if you are not able to fight to defend, we will not ask others to do it for yourself
. but Europeans should they not cooperate further to their security?
of course. I believe in cooperation. It is a need to pool intelligence, to have surveillance satellites financed by European funds. On a bilateral basis, we could answer the question of the second aircraft carrier in the Channel and Mediterranean … But the idea that our defense effort should be supported by Europe is an idea that will never see the day.
Donald Trump said that Europe must contribute more to their own security. A President Trump would it be good for Europe?
I would advise forecasters great modesty, here as elsewhere. We need to work with US President chosen by the Americans. Do not have the arrogance to indicate our preferences, even though everyone knows my former close with Clinton. As for Mr. Trump, we can not say that I recognize myself in some of his outrageous formulas. I am a friend of the United States. But we are not friends with the United States because we like its president.
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