Triple Scandal:
France Bows to NATO and Cancels Mistral Sales to Russia (Le Figaro, France)
"The
government has submitted to pressure from some European countries and the
United States which have always rejected French cooperation with Russia. France
is surrendering not the €1.2 billion the government first claimed, but €1.5
billion in cash compensation to French manufacturers. France is the country
most impacted by the policy of sanctions against Russia demanded by the
European Union. Germany and Britain have never paid the price! … The image of our
national companies operating in Russia will, as if by bullets, be injured by
the undelivered Mistrals. Our American, German, English and Italian competitors
are already celebrating.""
[President] François
Hollande has announced the non-delivery of two Mistrals to Russia. France will
pay Russia more than €1.5 billion –not the €1.2 billion originally indicated by
the government. Add to that more than €500 million for the cost of dismantling
the facilities for both Russian Mistrals and a shortfall in Russia for French
manufacturers. In the context of the political, economic and international
crisis we are all fully aware of, this decision is a triple scandal.
● A scandal of state.
The government has submitted to pressure from some European countries and the
United States which have always rejected French cooperation with Russia. France
is surrendering not the €1.2 billion the government first claimed, but €1.5
billion in cash compensation to French manufacturers. France is the country
most impacted by the policy of sanctions against Russia demanded by the
European Union. Germany and Britain have never paid the price! French taxpayers
will once again have to pay for the cowardice of our governments. What will the
government do with the two Mistrals? The statement issued by the Elysee [President's Office] failed to mention Moscow's demands
that Russian equipment installed on the Mistrals be returned to them. Both
ships will therefore be stripped of Russian equipment and returned, which may
cause an additional tens of millions of euros. Our
Navy, the budget of which has been dropping for a decade, cannot afford to
maintain them and operationally doesn't need them. Hence the government will
leave the Mistrals to rust in Saint-Nazaire. Such abandonment on the part of
this government would not be surprising.
Posted by Worldmeets.US
● An industrial
scandal. As it abandoned our farmers affected by the Russian embargo, the
government has cut loose our workers, our engineers, our industrialists, our companies,
which are focused and directed, in both France and Russia, on the Mistral
contract. Beyond the non-delivery of the two Mistrals, the shortfall for French
industry is €500 million for the French equipment planned for the second
Mistral to be produced in Russia. Industrial and military cooperation between
our two countries held a positive dynamic for several years. The signature of
France in the military field has now lost credibility. Our national jewels - the
DCNS Group and
STX - will also be diminished by the decision. The
image of our national companies operating in Russia will, as if by bullets, be injured
by the undelivered Mistrals. Our American, German, English and Italian competitors
are already celebrating.
● A diplomatic scandal.
France, after [former President] Sarkozy's decision
to rejoin the governments integrated within NATO, has seen the diplomatic
genius of General de Gaulle which are embodied by political greatness,
independence and cooperation, further undermined. With the Minsk Agreement, France
helped find a political solution to the Ukrainian problem. Why weaken the
dialogue with Russia now? Today the government in Kiev is applying the Minsk
deal by refusing to grant autonomy to the Russian-speaking eastern regions of
Ukraine. That is all the more reason for France to
resume talks with Russia and Ukraine to help nip the crisis in the bud.
Is France damaging its own interests by buckling under pressure from the U.S. and NATO to halt delivery to Russia of two...
France gives up on
its message. The non-delivery of the Mistrals sends a bad signal to the
world and to all people who are waiting for France to again carry the voice of
independence and dialogue. Franco-Russian relations cannot be reduced to the
Mistral deal. The image of France cannot be limited to renouncing its
commitments. In the name of France, the Free French call on you to continue fighting
to restore a relationship of trust with Russia by signing
our call for a lifting of sanctions.
Rémy Berthonneau is
the spokesman for the Free French and a member of Standing for France. The Free
French Collective - French speak to French, was created following the Moscow
visit of Nicolas Dupont-Aignan in March, and brings
together many French who are concerned about Franco-Russian relations,
especially members Standing France and other French parties. They have launched
an appeal which has already been signed by over 4,000 people calling for a
lifting of sanctions and the delivery of the Mistrals to Russia. Ten MPs have
co-signed the appeal, including: Nicolas Dupont-Aignan,
Thierry Mariani, Dhuicq
Nicolas, Jean-Pierre Decool, Patrick Balkany, Veronique Besse, Claude Goasguen, Michel Terrot, Patrice Verchere, Lionel Luca, and several intellectuals and
economists including Jacques Sapir and John Paul Brighelli.
