Competitive Exams: Current Affairs 2011: Elysee Treaty

Glide to success with Doorsteptutor material for competitive exams : get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.

Elysee Treaty

Almost 50 years ago, in 1963, the Elysee Treaty chalked out the modalities of cooperation that remain the fundamental architecture of the Franco-German partnership.

Franco-German Councils for economy and finance, defence and security, and the environment ensure the utmost consistency of national policies in the most important areas.

European integration

Faithful to the spirit of the 1950 Schuman Declaration, ever since 1963, France and

Germany have been clearly directing their joint action on the path of a united

Europe. Indeed, they share the belief that their common future fully forms part of that of a united Europe. Together, France and Germany have given an impetus to major progress achieved in the construction of Europe: Political integration, creation of the Euro, the Schengen space, or the expansion of the European Union to include Central and East Europe in the post-Cold War period, enabling the constitution of the second largest democratic bloc after India, with 50 crore inhabitants, and the top global economy.

Germany and France are aware of exercising a joint historic responsibility in the service of Europe. Their ambition is to continue being proactive leaders likely to draw partners, without imposing themselves. France and Germany may never agree on each and every thing, and their legitimate interests may diverge or be in competition with each other. But none of this can undermine their common will to build a more secure and more prosperous future together, along with their

European partners.

Germany, France and India

Germany and France are each, in their own way, historic partners of India. Both countries have always been fascinated by the Indian civilisation, as attested to by our works on Indology, which remain global references. Max Muller and Sylvain

Levy are household names in India today.

At the political level, Berlin and Paris have each chosen a strategic partnership with India, aware that the latter will increasingly emerge as a hub of stability, security and development in its regional environment and the world. Hence, we unreservedly support India՚s candidature for a permanent seat at the United

Nations Security Council. Not only they do not conceive the reform of the Council without the accession of the largest democracy of the world on a permanent basis, but they also wish that such reform takes place at the earliest.

The Franco-German partnership also aims to be reflected in India՚s economic development. The major European industrial and technological achievements, all results of Franco-German initiatives, nurture the ambition of becoming privileged partners of Indian operators in key sectors, such as aeronautics, with Airbus.

Eurocopter or Arianespace. The third generation EPR nuclear reactor, which India intends to be equipped with and which, in the long term will provide it with onesixth of the installed capacity planned for 2030, in safety conditions provided by the latest technological progress, is also the fruit of close cooperation between

Germany and France.

Lastly, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the new ambitions and the new instruments with which the European Union is now equipped are to be placed in the service of a deepened partnership with India. The EU-India Summit, held on December 10,2010, opened new vistas for enhanced cooperation in areas of security, such as counter-terrorism or anti-piracy.

The simultaneous presence of these three countries at the Security Council, post

India and Germany՚s elections for the 2011 − 2012 biennium, offers us a unique opportunity to promote our shared vision for a multilateral approach to major issues affecting international stability and security. Germany and France are prepared to put their unique partnership of almost 50 years at the service of their cooperation with India.

Courtesy: The Hindu and Times of India