translate English to French: While Germany was divided, the two countries were essentially equal partners balancing vulnerabilities (i.e. France’s economic versus Germany’s political) with a common interest in providing assurances to each other.
Les problèmes vont surgir : le refus controversé de l’UE en mai 2001 d’acquiescer à la fusion de General Electric et de Honeywell, évaluée à 42 milliards USD, en est une preuve.