France opens base in United Arab Emirates
Güncelleme Tarihi:
The Associated Press
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 26, 2009 00:00
ABU DHABI - France opened a naval base in the United Arab Emirates yesterday and signed an agreement to increase military cooperation with the Persian Gulf nation and boost military sales.
The naval station is France's first major foothold in the Gulf and is expected to contribute vessels to anti-piracy patrols off Somalia and guard vital Persian Gulf shipping lanes. It also raises France's profile in the growing tensions between Iran and Gulf Arab states.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said yesterday his nation's first military base in the Gulf is an important step in international cooperation to fight piracy and safeguard crucial oil routes. "The world's seas must remain free from threats," Kouchner told a regional security conference in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi.
As Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review went to press yesterday, Kouchner is expected to be joined by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is scheduled to inaugurate the naval base in Abu Dhabi today.
Sarkozy also plans to lead a groundbreaking ceremony for a branch of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and try to push ahead talks for the UAE purchase of a reported 60 French-made Rafale fighter jets in a possible deal estimated at more than 6 billion euros ($8 billion) over several years. Sarkozy said the opening of the French naval base - which also supports separate air and ground forces - is recognition of the strategic importance of the Gulf. "This region is strategic for world stability," Sarkozy told the state-run Emirates News Agency in a statement before his arrival.
He also plans to use the visit to reinforce warnings to Iran to convince the world it does not seek nuclear weapons or expansion of its influence in the region. "The Iranian crisis is one of the biggest issues threatening world security," Sarkozy told the agency. "My position was clear and I still persist that Iran's possession of nuclear weapons is not acceptable."
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said yesterday his nation's first military base in the Gulf is an important step in international cooperation to fight piracy and safeguard crucial oil routes. "The world's seas must remain free from threats," Kouchner told a regional security conference in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi.
As Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review went to press yesterday, Kouchner is expected to be joined by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is scheduled to inaugurate the naval base in Abu Dhabi today.
Sarkozy also plans to lead a groundbreaking ceremony for a branch of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and try to push ahead talks for the UAE purchase of a reported 60 French-made Rafale fighter jets in a possible deal estimated at more than 6 billion euros ($8 billion) over several years. Sarkozy said the opening of the French naval base - which also supports separate air and ground forces - is recognition of the strategic importance of the Gulf. "This region is strategic for world stability," Sarkozy told the state-run Emirates News Agency in a statement before his arrival.
He also plans to use the visit to reinforce warnings to Iran to convince the world it does not seek nuclear weapons or expansion of its influence in the region. "The Iranian crisis is one of the biggest issues threatening world security," Sarkozy told the agency. "My position was clear and I still persist that Iran's possession of nuclear weapons is not acceptable."