France to review African defence pacts: Sarkozy

Visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy says France is to renegotiate all its defence cooperation agreements with African countries.

France has defence cooperation agreements with several of its former colonies, under which French armed forces provide African states with varying degrees of military assistance. "All the heads of state concerned have been informed," Sarkozy told a news conference while on an official visit to South Africa.

"I will talk about this issue this afternoon in the South African parliament," Sarkozy said, adding: "I will announce the renegotiation of all our defence agreements in Africa and the totally transparent publication of all of these agreements." Such deals fall into two broad categories, which dictate the level of military support given.

Under 'defence agreements', the term Sarkozy used, French forces can usually intervene directly in an internal conflict, as in Central African Republic where French troops and Mirage fighter jets fought anti-government rebels last year. Other states that have defence agreements with France include Senegal, Ivory Coast and Gabon.

'Military cooperation agreements' provide for less direct involvement, such as in Chad, where French forces provide government troops with logistical and intelligence support. - Reuters