France makes for formal call for EU military help

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France made a formal request on Tuesday for help from its EU partners following the Paris attacks, invoking a mutual assistance article in the European Union's treaty for the first time. "In Brussels, I have just invoked Article 42.7," French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on his Twitter account during an EU defense ministers meeting. He was due to give a news conference later. EU officials said it was the first time the article had been activated. Immediate details of what France will request are not clear, but the EU's Lisbon Treaty says that in the case of a "armed agression" on any EU country, the other countries have "an obligation of aid and assistance by all means in their power". France has so far not invoked the U.S.-led NATO alliance's mutual defense clause. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Paul Taylor)