French Navy to carry out Exercise with Pakistan Navy
'Pakistan Times' Staff Report

KARACHI: The French Navy will carry out exercise with Pakistan Navy next month.

This was stated by Rear Admiral Jacques Luanay, Commanding Officer of French Naval Forces in the Indian Ocean Maritime Zone, while talking to reporters onboard FNS VAR here on Wednesday.

He further pointed out that the exercise has been named as EMAN 07.

The Admiral, who is on a three-day goodwill visit here, said that Pakistan Navy is organizing this exercise and that four French Naval vessels would be participating.

He said that the week-long exercise would also include seminars on the shore.

Admiral Launay also spoke of similarities in training and equipment of the Pakistan and the French navies and said that the two share same objectives.

He said, with such exercise we can also exchange our experiences. We have good ties with Pakistan Navy, he added.

Replying a question, Admiral Launay was of the view that although France is within NATO and is fully integrated in it but is not part of the military structure of the organization as, according to him it was a political decision and that ‘we want to keep the autonomy of our decision’.

He also pointed out that France has deployed more than 4,000 soldiers for NATO operations.

Admiral Launay said that NATO is an alliance with the aim of collective defence as well as military alliance.

Replying a question regarding steps taken against terrorism on sea, he said that we are involved within the Task Force 150 like the Pakistan Navy, and that we are participating in that Task Force since the beginning.

He said that France is contributing ships to this Task Force for the past five years.

The Admiral pointed out that more than 15 nations are involved in the Task Force 150 including United States, Britain, German, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Canada, Pakistan, Belgium, Australia.●