France Applies to Join Commonwealth FPDA
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France Applies to Join Commonwealth FPDA
The mind boggles. I spent an enjoyable 2 weeks in Penang/Butterworth doing a two week FPDA course, still have the certificate, very flash. Vital work of course. 
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/w...ears-gtb35rhmj
France is pushing to join a Commonwealth defence pact in an effort to maintain its close military links with Britain after Brexit.
The Five Power Defence Arrangements was created almost half a century ago after Britain’s military withdrawal “East of Suez”, and has increasingly been regarded as a Cold War anachronism. However, this year the FPDA has been brought back into focus by fears over international terrorism, North Korea, Chinese expansionism and President Trump’s foreign policy.
At a meeting in Singapore, the five members of the FPDA — Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Britain — agreed to expand their annual exercises to focus more on counterterrorism and maritime security. Now they also face a dilemma over whether to accept France, which has asked to join the defence arrangements. “People say that the FPDA is irrelevant, so why is it then that the French want to join?” said a senior government source, who was present at the meeting of ministers of four of the five members in Singapore.
A spokesman for Sylvie Goulard, the French defence minister who was in Singapore attending a meeting of defence ministers, did not respond to a request for comment. A French official said the request reflected France’s wish to maintain a military presence in east Asia, to strengthen diplomatic relationships with the increasingly prosperous economies of southeast Asia and to maintain its post-Brexit military co-operation with Britain. “It makes sense because France wants to remain a power in Asia and because Britain is our closest military friend,” the official said. “With Britain out of Europe, who is to be our partner? Germany is not the same.”
The French request seems likely to be rejected because of resistance to expanding the membership of the FPDA. The group was formed in 1971 to protect Singapore and Malaysia against the threat from Indonesia, which fought a war with Malaysia in the mid-1960s. A similar conflict now is unimaginable but the continuing existence of the FPDA annoys Indonesia. “If you change [the FPDA], you’d invite suspicion and erode legitimacy,” Ng Eng Hen, Singapore’s defence minister, said yesterday at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of ministers and security experts organised by Britain’s International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Under the FPDA, Australian and British air force officers operate an air defence system at a Malaysian base, which could come into operation in case of a conflict with China over the disputed islands in the South China Sea that it is claiming. Malaysia and Singapore are increasingly worried about terrorist attacks by Islamic militants such as those who remain in control of parts of the city of Marawi in the southern Philippines after seizing it last month. Malaysia was also rattled by the assassination with a nerve agent of the brother of Kim Jong-un, the North Koran leader, in Kuala Lumpur airport.
“We are going through uncharted waters,” said Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s defence minister. “Never have we seen trucks used to kill, burning people alive in cages. The five nations of the FPDA has a lot to contribute [and] the situation in Korea makes the FPDA more important today.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/w...ears-gtb35rhmj
France is pushing to join a Commonwealth defence pact in an effort to maintain its close military links with Britain after Brexit.
The Five Power Defence Arrangements was created almost half a century ago after Britain’s military withdrawal “East of Suez”, and has increasingly been regarded as a Cold War anachronism. However, this year the FPDA has been brought back into focus by fears over international terrorism, North Korea, Chinese expansionism and President Trump’s foreign policy.
At a meeting in Singapore, the five members of the FPDA — Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Britain — agreed to expand their annual exercises to focus more on counterterrorism and maritime security. Now they also face a dilemma over whether to accept France, which has asked to join the defence arrangements. “People say that the FPDA is irrelevant, so why is it then that the French want to join?” said a senior government source, who was present at the meeting of ministers of four of the five members in Singapore.
A spokesman for Sylvie Goulard, the French defence minister who was in Singapore attending a meeting of defence ministers, did not respond to a request for comment. A French official said the request reflected France’s wish to maintain a military presence in east Asia, to strengthen diplomatic relationships with the increasingly prosperous economies of southeast Asia and to maintain its post-Brexit military co-operation with Britain. “It makes sense because France wants to remain a power in Asia and because Britain is our closest military friend,” the official said. “With Britain out of Europe, who is to be our partner? Germany is not the same.”
The French request seems likely to be rejected because of resistance to expanding the membership of the FPDA. The group was formed in 1971 to protect Singapore and Malaysia against the threat from Indonesia, which fought a war with Malaysia in the mid-1960s. A similar conflict now is unimaginable but the continuing existence of the FPDA annoys Indonesia. “If you change [the FPDA], you’d invite suspicion and erode legitimacy,” Ng Eng Hen, Singapore’s defence minister, said yesterday at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of ministers and security experts organised by Britain’s International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Under the FPDA, Australian and British air force officers operate an air defence system at a Malaysian base, which could come into operation in case of a conflict with China over the disputed islands in the South China Sea that it is claiming. Malaysia and Singapore are increasingly worried about terrorist attacks by Islamic militants such as those who remain in control of parts of the city of Marawi in the southern Philippines after seizing it last month. Malaysia was also rattled by the assassination with a nerve agent of the brother of Kim Jong-un, the North Koran leader, in Kuala Lumpur airport.
“We are going through uncharted waters,” said Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s defence minister. “Never have we seen trucks used to kill, burning people alive in cages. The five nations of the FPDA has a lot to contribute [and] the situation in Korea makes the FPDA more important today.”
I did 2 years in the FPDA. Paper Tiger and that is being generous. It is there for glossy photos and meaningless exercises and seminars. Just an excuse for the 5 Defence Ministers to get together once a year and try and sell stuff to each other.
Never forget the months after 9/11. Local shops selling kiddies shower room tiles and shower curtains showing the twin towers being hit. There were queues out of every shop. Night markets full of T-Shirts showing similar. Drinks coasters etc, you name it. The Malaysians thought 9/11 was fantastic!!
Singaporeans very secretive. Kiwis fantastic and Aussies loud and very average. Brits properly dressed for every occasion and drenched in sweat.
Add in the French? The mind boggles.
We have some very strange bedfellows.
Never forget the months after 9/11. Local shops selling kiddies shower room tiles and shower curtains showing the twin towers being hit. There were queues out of every shop. Night markets full of T-Shirts showing similar. Drinks coasters etc, you name it. The Malaysians thought 9/11 was fantastic!!
Singaporeans very secretive. Kiwis fantastic and Aussies loud and very average. Brits properly dressed for every occasion and drenched in sweat.
Add in the French? The mind boggles.
We have some very strange bedfellows.
“With Britain out of Europe, who is to be our partner? Germany is not the same.”
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The only thing that France will bring to the table is a list of demands that they want to get out of being at the table.
I believe France had a presence in SE Asia previously - wasn't an astounding success if I recall.
Non, Non, Non.
The French have pinned their flag to the German/Eurotrash mast and look like being awkward on Brexit - and lets not forget their approach to NATO had been similar to the UK's approach to the EU - in, out or lukewarm at best.
Screw them, this is purely about Airbus selling their shoddy military products.
Non, Non, Non.
The French have pinned their flag to the German/Eurotrash mast and look like being awkward on Brexit - and lets not forget their approach to NATO had been similar to the UK's approach to the EU - in, out or lukewarm at best.
Screw them, this is purely about Airbus selling their shoddy military products.
If anyone thinks this is the French being altruistic, then I think you are wrong. The French seem to be playing a very clever game, particularly following Brexit. They are being opportunistic and this is a way of side-lining the UK. It is an attempt to show themselves as the partner of choice for the US (and other Allies) and to undermine the UK's position. When the UK took a PACOM LO as a "savings measure" the French offered a replacement in a heart beat (and up ranked it). They take a longer term view on influence than our politicians and civil servants do. Note also how they have started attending more exercises with the US than they used to, and this from a couple of years ago
