Tanks, But No Tanks

Among the many high-sounding but vague provisions sprinkled through the Franco-German reconciliation treaty ceremonially signed in Paris six weeks ago was one calling for joint research and development of conventional weapons. This seemed a promising clause, for experts from both nations already had spent years working together on various projects--e.g., antitank rockets developed at the French ballistic proving grounds at St. Louis, a big military transport plane designed to operate off short runways, a French-designed heavy helicopter. But the most important joint project in the works was the Europa Panzer, a medium tank; when first conceived, the idea was that it would replace the West German Bundeswehr's 2,000 out-of-date U.S. M-47s and M-48s, give the French army a fast, quick-firing, maneuverable weapon.

But there were snags in the Europa Panzer scheme. The Germans, sold on the idea of a safer, cheaper multifuel engine, which works best on diesel oil, sniffed at the French motor design. And Bonn defense chiefs preferred a fast-firing British 105-mm. cannon that did not fit the chassis the French were talking about.

Last week Bonn's new Defense Minister Kai-Uwe von Hassel officially scrapped the Europa Panzer idea, declared that West Germany would produce a flashy new tank of its own. French defense officials had gotten word of the decision long before their Charles de Gaulle had signed his new pact with Bonn. But the canceled deal was bound to set minds on both sides of the Rhine wondering just how useful their treaty really was.

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