French President Nicolas Sarkozy today announced he will decide in the coming year on whether France will return to Nato's military command it quit in 1966.
He also confirmed France would reinforce Nato troops in Afghanistan by sending 700 extra soldiers to the volatile east. In a goodwill gesture to Washington, Mr Sarkozy also gave cautious support to US plans for a missile defence shield in Europe.
Addressing his first Nato summit, Mr Sarkozy said he expected to take a decision on rejoining the integrated military structure after using France's six-month presidency of the European Union from July 1st to build closer European defence integration.
"This opens the door for France to a strong renewal of its relations with Nato," Mr Sarkozy told the leaders.
He also announced with Chancellor Angela Merkel that France and Germany would jointly host Nato's 60th anniversary summit next year in the eastern French city of Strasbourg and its German sister town of Kehl, just across the Rhine River.
The full reintegration of France, which like Britain is a nuclear power with a permanent UN Security Council seat, would end the oldest rift in the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.
General Charles de Gaulle withdrew French forces from Nato's command in 1966 at the height of the Cold War and expelled the alliance's headquarters from Paris and Fontainebleau in protest at what he saw as US hegemony in Europe.
Macedonia announced it was leaving a Nato summit early today after Greece prevented alliance leaders from inviting it into the military pact because of a row over its name.
