09/04/2024
Genaral Schill is the French Army Chief of Staff.
We celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, those bilateral agreements signed on 8th April 1904 by the United Kingdom and France. They not only put an end to centuries of rivalries but also constituted the essential basis which enabled our two countries to defeat the expansionist designs and the hegemonic appetite of imperial Germany in 1914-1918.
The Entente Cordiale is key for the contemporary history of Europe. It bears testimony of the fruitful results of diplomacy, which transcends the enmities and prejudices accumulated over the centuries. It outlines the relevance of the “democratic peace” notion, since France and the United Kingdom settled their disputes peacefully and agreed to hinder the Prussian-German militarism. This celebration strikes a particular chord today owing to the many similarities with the current situation, illustrating the requirement for a united front of democracies against the threat of force.
The British-French friendship has hardly failed for 120 years. The international order born from this entente and common sacrifices is being deeply shaken. It is necessary to remind the requirement, for our two countries, to perpetuate an association which proved to be decisive on various occasions. When one is confronted with an uncertain future fraught with dangers, steadfast friendship provides real security.
