EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, NUCLEAR DETERRENCE AND FRANCO-BRITISH NUCLEAR COOPERATION

The resumption of French nuclear tests in 1995 created a storm of prot est in a number of countries, but received support from the British go vernment. Although many explanations for that British support have bee n suggested-that Britain would gain nuclear information from the tests , or that British support was an attempt to undermine Franco-German re lations-one of the most important reasons was that London did not wish to undermine progress in Franco-British nuclear relations. However, t he French have been interested in developing a European dimension to t he British and French nuclear deterrents. This, it is argued, cannot b e dismissed simply as a means of diverting attention from the French n uclear tests. The article examines these ideas for an integrated nucle ar force, and investigates the problems inherent in relating nuclear d eterrence to the construction of Europe.(I)