JEDDAH, 4 May 2007 — The French Support and Flag Ship “VAR” paid a courtesy visit to Jeddah recently carrying Rear Admiral Jacques Launay, Joint Commander of the French Forces in the Indian Ocean, who is designated ALINDIEN.
Launay has under his command land, air and naval forces that are in the zone stretching from the Mediterranean and the east coast of Africa to Australia and the East. “The zone I’m responsible for starts at the Suez Canal and Gulf of Aqaba, through Southeastern Asia and includes all countries of South Asia and Philippines and Vietnam,” said Launay.
At a meeting with journalists to introduce them to the role of the large French fleet in the region, he noted that there were about 20 French ships or other craft out of the 35 Marine Nationale or so at sea at any one time within the Indian Ocean area. “It demonstrates our strategic interest in the region and it is in this context that the admiral in charge of this zone is visiting Jeddah.”
ALINDIEN has two major missions in the area: The prevention of illicit traffic, within the framework of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, more particularly when related to terrorism together with the protection of French citizens who are in the zone and their interests.
The second is to develop close defense ties with the military authorities of countries in the region and with the allied forces in the area, he said. “Our British friends talk about ‘Defense diplomacy.’ This is exactly the mission I have in the zone here. However, the main and most important role we have is to promote through military cooperation, peace and stability in the region.”
The duties of the Marine Nationale in the area include surveillance under the umbrella of Task Force 150, a 12-nation coalition set up in 2001 to maintain lines of communication at sea, for the prevention of international terrorism. Part of its brief is to monitor and observe the movements of shipping in the area of the Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa.
After leaving Jeddah, the VAR and Rear Admiral Launay visit Djibouti and will then cross to the Southeast Asia via Bombay later this month, then on to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. He was at pains to point out that the presence of the Marine Nationale in the area was not directly connected to the unrest in the region.
“France has a permanent fleet in the region due to the presence of French territory in the Indian Oceans — the Department of the Islands of Reunion,” he said, adding that the French presence was permanent regardless of the events. The Department of Reunion has about 753,000 inhabitants, and some 95,000 natives of the island live in European France. Every year more than 420,000 tourists visit the island.
“We follow very closely however the situation whether it is in the Southeast Asian region, or in the Arabian Peninsula or in the African Horn. He explained that the French presence was more of a watching brief than active participation in the Gulf unrest and said that France has no particular role either in the war in Iraq or in the Iranian crisis. “Our presence helps us to have a clear view on the situation locally. Again, our presence is absolutely not related to this or that crisis in the region.”
He said that the Marine Nationale group undertook regular training exercises with friendly countries in the region. One specialty was what he described as the war against mines, recently carried out with UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Pakistan.
Launay confirmed that relations between Saudi Arabia and France were very cordial both at the political and military levels. On the personal level, he said that his first visit to the Kingdom 21 years ago saw him as an officer instructor on a training ship sent to Jeddah. “Both my own and the navy’s relationship with the Kingdom goes back a long way, and focuses mainly on officer training,” he said.
He said that it was common practice for ships of the Marine Nationale when they passed Jeddah to hold training exercises with Saudi Marines. On two occasions recently, French warships held helicopter exchange exercises with the Royal Saudi Navy. “We will also be looking at the possibility of an exercise with one of our submarines when next it transits the area,” he said.
