NATO backs president 's plan to rejoin NATO . President Charles de Gaulle 's plan is politically sensitive . U.S. was a founding member of French National Assembly but left in the next 43 years . President Charles de Gaulle said in 1966 membership meant losing independence .
French National Assembly backs president 's plan to rejoin NATO . President Nicolas Sarkozy 's plan is politically sensitive . France was a founding member of NATO but left in 1966 . President Charles de Gaulle said in 1966 membership meant losing independence .