France's reckless arms deals

French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed to sell Russia four Mistral helicopter carriers during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent three-day visit to Paris. The daily Lietuvos Rytas is appalled: "Aren't the Russians still stationed in Georgia? And when are they going to listen to the friendly advice of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and withdraw from the occupied areas? Moreover, the Russians are still occupying among other places Kaliningrad, the Kuril Islands and Karelia. Doesn't all that count for anything? Obviously double standards are being applied here, for when it comes to Israel the entire EU with France at its fore is demanding with almost religious fervour that historical justice be restored and the Arabs be given back the occupied areas. It doesn't seem to have occurred to France's president why Russia should need such ships in the Baltic. And Russia's new military doctrine, which sees Nato, of which France is a member, as its opponent, appears to have entirely escaped his notice."

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