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France Wants SA's Naval Help in Indian Ocean

Business Day (Johannesburg)
NEWS
August 19, 2004
Posted to the web August 19, 2004

By Jonathan Katzenellenbogen , International Affairs Editor
Johannesburg
THE commander of French naval forces in the Indian Ocean has said he sees a
growing role for the South African Navy in the Indian Ocean area, should it
wish to take up the challenge.
Rear-Adm Xavier Rolin said yesterday SA would be in a position to take up this
role in the Indian Ocean once SA's four navy corvette warships and three
submarines become operational over the next few years.
Rolin, whose flagship La Marne is undergoing routine maintenance in Cape Town,
held talks in Pretoria yesterday with senior officials of the South African
National Defence Force .
Earlier this week, SA and France signed an agreement that will allow the
transfer of two highpowered harbour patrol boats to Mozambique.
The rear-admiral said there was "lots to do" for naval forces in the Indian
Ocean area. He said his fleet was tasked with fighting terrorism, piracy and
illegal fishing.
Rolin's visit is part of a series of visits to SA by senior French defence
officials that are planned this year as part of a drive by Paris towards
greater defence collaboration with SA and other Southern African Development
Community Countries.
Earlier this year the chief of France's defence staff, Gen Henri Bentégeat,
visited SA, and later this year other visits by senior French defence officials
to SA are expected.
At the time of Bentégeat's visit, troops from France, Mozambique, Zambia,
Botswana and Madagascar were holding military exercises in Mozambique. These
exercises are now an annual event and will be held in Botswana next year.
He said the Mozambique Channel between Mozambique and Madagascar was an
important naval area .
SA and France already co-operate in a campaign to eradicate illegal fishing in
the southern Indian Ocean , said Rolin.
He said France considered SA to be a strategic partner in the Indian Ocean,
along with India and Australia.
Rolin said it was difficult to assess the impact of naval forces in the
northern Indian Ocean on terrorism as no terrorists had been caught by them to
date.
But he said commanders from countries contributing naval forces to support the
US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 were convinced their continuing presence
was denying terrorist organisations use of the sea.

   

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