MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK/France have not considered carrier’s defence of Falklands: “not necessary”

United Kingdom Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey

There have been no discussions between Britain and France on whether aircraft carriers could be sent to defend the Falkland Islands, United Kingdom Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey said.

The British Government “have not seen this as necessary”, Mr Harvey said, despite the two countries recently agreeing to share carriers as part of a defence cooperation treaty, according to a piece from UK Press Association.

The deal raised concerns that the UK could be left without carrier strike capability if only a French ship was available and Paris decided it did not want to take part in military action that was not in its national interest.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox conceded there was “no means” of coercing France into action, saying of the deal: “Would that mean that we would be able to force the French to do something against their will during that period or vice-versa? Of course it wouldn't.”

Last week a group of British retired senior commanders warned that defence cuts - including the decision to scrap the Harrier force and the aircraft carrier Ark Royal - “practically invited” Argentina to attempt to take the “newly valuable” Falklands.

In a written parliamentary question, the DUP's David Simpson (Upper Bann) asked whether Dr Fox “has had discussions with the French government on the possible deployment of aircraft carriers to the Falkland Islands”.

Mr Harvey replied: “There have been no discussions with the French government on the possible deployment of aircraft carriers to the Falkland Islands because we have not seen this as necessary.”

Part of the wide-ranging Anglo-French defence deal will see the creation of an integrated carrier force with the two countries co-ordinating the refit programs of their single remaining carriers to ensure that from the 2020s onwards at least one ship will always be available for joint operations.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has sought to play down suggestions that France would not be prepared to deploy its carrier in support of British interests if the UK vessel was in dock.

“This is a decision which is unprecedented and shows a level of trust and confidence between our two nations which is unequalled in history,” he said when the treaties were signed.