By Prensa Latina
Paris : French conservatives and center politicians joined indirectly to reject France’s return to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, warning that it would frame France’s freedom of choice.
At the Bucarest NATO Summit, Sarkozy announced France´s intention to recover full membership by 2009, tied to an European progress on defense by the second half of 2008, at the Summit on the Treaty’s 60th anniversary co-sponsored by France and Germany.
The Socialist, Communist and Green Parties submitted a motion at the National Assembly that censures the cabinet of Nicolas Sarkozy return to NATO and the 700 soldiers sent to Afghanistan.
President Charles de Gaulle exited the organization in 1966 to stay away from the doctrine of blocks.
Center leader Francois Bayrou joined the contenders arguing that France would loose its independence and freedom of speech adding that Sarkozy alliance with the US neither matches France’s history nor its people’s will.
Conservative Nicolas Dupony-Aignan called to hold a referendum to determine if the people agree with Sarkozy.
But Ultraconservative Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), said France’s interest is neither NATO, nor getting closer to the US or an European defense that would finish destroy what is left of sovereignty.
Le Pen backed Sarkozy as majority force in Parliament so 226 votes fell short to achieve approval.