1. France’s security culture

2. Cold war experiences Historical experiences: the war in Indochina (1946-1954) and the war in Algeria (1955-1962) Philosophical underpinning of France’s foreign policies France/ NATO relations- 1958 de Gaulle memorandum; 1959 France withdrew its Mediterranean fleet from NATO command; stationing of foreign nuclear weapons on French soil banned; 1962 France’s Atlantic and Channel fleets withdrawn from NATO command; 1966- complete withdrawal from NATO integrated military command; relocation of SHAPE The independent nuclear deterrent Autonomous defence posture Indigenous military procurement France’s participation in intra-alliance disputes Military self-sufficiency of France and semi-detached military posture vis-à-vis the NATO countries

3. Post- cold war options The change in the geo-strategic situation -New security threats -The US policy -New forms of warfare/ the experience of the First Gulf War The Atlantic Alliance transformation

4. Policy transformation in the immediate aftermath of the cold war, early 1990s Policies priorities towards French Western European partners /1990-91 IGC and a common defence policy based on WEU, Eurocorps, European nuclear deterrent, joint procurement projects/; the French ambiguity Assessments of NATO transformations: NATO expansion, political role, NATO Rapid Reaction Force the DPC 1991 Bilateral relations Shift in defence priorities: assessment of security threats, military budget allocation, suspension of nuclear tests in the Pacific

5. Policies in the 1990s- domestic pressures Constitutional arrangements The Balladur government White Paper on defence /1993/: - The nature of the new security threats: included economic aspects -The notion of independence vs. the notion of strategic autonomy related to its ability to deal with complex security crises -The centrality of Europe in French strategic thinking- convergence of interests -Bilateral relations: Eurocorps and Franco-German arms agency -Rapprochement with NATO: NATO Military Committee and participation in out of area peace enforcement operations (after Oslo 1992); NATO Council control over WEU use of NATO forces Mitterrand’s position on the rapprochement with NATO (on the CJTF and the French participation in NATO Military Committee) the Balladur government