France's Mediterranean Policy: Between Myths and Strategy.

Since the beginning of the nineteenth century and Napoleon Bonaparte's conquest of Egypt, France has tended to maintain a complex relationship with countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. In this context, fascination, admiration for the culture, but also sufficiency and search for power and domination go hand-in-hand. From the imposition of its presence by force, either through colonisation, protectorates or military adventures, France has seen her policy/policies towards the region shift to more intricate strategies, the ultimate aim of which being its desire to retain a lasting link, meant to remain an 'exceptional' one. In this article, the author attempts to examine these strategies and the dynamics behind them—strategies that are often looked at as being a mixture of absolute sincerity and political cynicism. Obviously, this also includes the Union for the Mediterranean, France's initiative that President Nicolas Sarkozy put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]