1.   Along the way Paris would like to see the organisation transformed into the defence arm of the European Union, albeit within a structure based exclusively on intergovernmental cooperation.

2.   Cost eliminations were one factor which had helped BAe to increase the profitability of its defence arm, Evans said.

3.   Despite the rosy picture of finances in its defence arm, BAe continued to suffer losses from its civilian aircraft operations.

4.   The WEU is seen as the fledgling defence arm of the European Union.

5.   The WEU is the effective defence arm of the European Union.

6.   The WEU is the fledgling defence arm of the European Union.

7.   The WEU is essentially the fledgling defence arm of the European Union.

8.   The WEU has recently received a new lease as the defence arm of the European Union following the Maastricht Treaty.

9.   Two French companies are known to be interested in acquiring Thomson-CSF, the defence arm of Thomson SA.

10.   Matra, the defence arm of Lagardere, and Thomson-CSF, the defence electronics division of Thomson SA, were complementary, the statement said.