France plays chess on Nato

France is expected to officially announce its re-integration into some military organs of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). Former French president Charles De Gaulle spectacularly left the alliance in 1966. Since French President Nicolas Sarkozy's election, much has been said about his plans.

As a result, the French public now seem prepared for this move. However, is it a profound break with the traditionally independent French foreign policy? Does it mean alignment with US policy? Is it a U-turn in the strategic posture? And is it not ironic that Sarkozy takes this position while asserting De Gaulle's legacy? How will it be perceived in France and across the globe?

Actually, Sarkozy is lucky. Both by conviction and in contrast with former president Jacques Chirac, he has set new diplomatic priorities since his election, especially in improving the relationship between France and the United States. Coming back into Nato was part of the plan. But most of the people of France are in favour of a French diplomatic stronghold and a clear posture. France is a member of the Atlantic alliance, but perceived as independent from the United States. Had the re-integration happened during the Bush mandate, it would have triggered a political crisis in France.

Bush was at least as demonised in France as Chirac was in the United States. With Republican John McCain in the White House, the bargain would have been hard to sell. But with Barack Obama as President, it is quite easy.

There is a real 'Obamamania' in France. According to polls, about 93 per cent of French people were in favour of his election. And even if Sarkozy's decision had nothing to do with Obama, (it had been decided upon much before Obama was officially a candidate) the fact is that the US president will make the move more comfortable.

Of course, France's Parliament will criticise this decision, describing it as an attack on France's independence. But it will be more difficult to convince the people over the move. Another opportunity for Sarkozy is before the Obamamania fever ends. Indeed, the 60th anniversary of Nato comes just two and half months after Obama took office. This would be an early Christmas gift coming in April for Sarkozy. A distinction must be made between reality and symbols. The reality is that France is already on board Nato's military and civil bodies. However, for the time being, it is only opting out from the alliance's nuclear group and its planning committee.

France participated with all other Nato members in the Kosovo war in 1999. But the symbolic change will most notably be for the international community. The very fact that Sarkozy presented the re-integration as a key gesture will give more significance to it.

In diplomatic affairs, symbols could be as important as reality. In the rest of the world, the re-integration will be perceived as a dramatic change in France's position and a loss of its specificity. France is going back on its position which was earlier perceived as an exception. This move will be most welcome in the United States. It will end accusations of anti-Americanism, even if in reality there was no such attitude. France was only opposed to some aspects of the US foreign policy. Most of the European countries will be pleased with this change as well.

Elsewhere in the world, there will probably be more mixed feelings. Many countries feel comfortable with a United States as ally which is not aligned. But this will neither mean that France will automatically participate in a war decided by the Americans, nor obey American orders in any circumstance. After all, Germany is fully integrated into Nato structures but refused to participate in the Iraq war in 2003 and has even criticised it loudly and publicly.

Sarkozy argues that the decision would facilitate the making of a European pillar of defence - a goal too far for France's political and administrative élite. The gambit is to do it inside the Nato compound.

Will Obama be more flexible on a European defence pillar than his predecessors? Will the current economic crisis and the strategic morass created by the Bush administration affect US policy towards the European Union? If there is real progress on this central point Sarkozy is likely to win his bet. Otherwise he will have commited a mistake in returning into Nato.

Dr Pascal Boniface is the founder and director of IRIS (Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques). He has published or edited more than 40 books on international relations, nuclear deterrence and disarmament, European security and French international policy.