CANBERRA ( 2008-09-17 11:35:12 ) :France will give Australia access to a military base in New Caledonia as the European power makes the territory its major station in the troubled South Pacific, Defence Minister Herve Morin said Wednesday.
Morin said France would shift its military resources to make New Caledonia its key base in the region which has endured violence, instability and natural disasters in recent years.
"We will sign in the coming months an agreement that will allow Australia to use New Caledonia for logistical support, mainly for naval vessels, but for all Australian operations in the region," Morin told reporters in Canberra.
Speaking after talks with Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, Morin said that France intended to deepen its defence cooperation with Australia.
"We did this because New Caledonia is close to Australia," Morin said.
"This is a movement through which we will grow our cooperation with Australia."
Australia, France and New Zealand are the major military powers in the South Pacific, a region including Papua New Guinea, Fiji and East Timor and often referred to as an "arc of instability".
Fitzgibbon said Australia considered France a regional neighbour and the new agreement would allow the nations to coordinate their response to emergencies in the Pacific.
"We are very keen to do all we can to promote peace, stability and prosperity amongst our near neighbours and this agreement gives us additional flexibility and a better capacity to deal with any contingencies that might arise in that part of the region," he said.
Australia has a long-standing defence relationship with France and the two countries are expected to ratify a 2006 defence cooperation agreement before the end of the year.
The agreement could pave the way for improved cooperation on humanitarian aid and disaster relief, the evacuation of nationals in the event of unrest and a halt on illegal fishing in the South Pacific.
Morin said France would shift its military resources to make New Caledonia its key base in the region which has endured violence, instability and natural disasters in recent years.
"We will sign in the coming months an agreement that will allow Australia to use New Caledonia for logistical support, mainly for naval vessels, but for all Australian operations in the region," Morin told reporters in Canberra.
Speaking after talks with Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, Morin said that France intended to deepen its defence cooperation with Australia.
"We did this because New Caledonia is close to Australia," Morin said.
"This is a movement through which we will grow our cooperation with Australia."
Australia, France and New Zealand are the major military powers in the South Pacific, a region including Papua New Guinea, Fiji and East Timor and often referred to as an "arc of instability".
Fitzgibbon said Australia considered France a regional neighbour and the new agreement would allow the nations to coordinate their response to emergencies in the Pacific.
"We are very keen to do all we can to promote peace, stability and prosperity amongst our near neighbours and this agreement gives us additional flexibility and a better capacity to deal with any contingencies that might arise in that part of the region," he said.
Australia has a long-standing defence relationship with France and the two countries are expected to ratify a 2006 defence cooperation agreement before the end of the year.
The agreement could pave the way for improved cooperation on humanitarian aid and disaster relief, the evacuation of nationals in the event of unrest and a halt on illegal fishing in the South Pacific.
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