France to get military base in UAE

[nico]

France to get military base in UAE
http://english.aljazeera.net

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, has signed a deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for France to establish its first permanent military base in the Gulf. The agreement reached on Tuesday will make France one of the first Western countries other than the United States to have a permanent base in the region. The planned facility will be able to house up to 500 personnel.

During his visit to Abu Dhabi, the latest stop on his tour of the Gulf, Sarkozy was also expected to conclude a deal with his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, on nuclear co-operation that could be worth up to $6 billion. France already has long-standing military co-operation accords with countries in the Gulf, including the Emirates and Qatar.

The accord for co-operation in civilian nuclear activities, a first step toward building a nuclear reactor, would be the third such deal France has signed with Arab nations recently, after Libya and Algeria. Sarkozy also offered Saudi Arabia nuclear assistance during his visit to the kingdom on Monday.

France generates a large majority of its power from nuclear reactors and is keen to export its technology and expertise in developing civilian energy. In an interview with Al Jazeera while in Qatar, Sarkozy affirmed Arab nations' right to nuclear energy. However, he said the right did not extend to Iran as he believed the Islamic Republic should prove definitively it had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons before it should be allowed to develop civilian nuclear energy.

"It would be giving credit to the current Iranian regime if civilian nuclear energy is only used by western democracies," he said. "France tells Iran 'give up your race for a nuclear weapon - it's a risk and you don't really need it'. And, if you [Iran] stop the race for a nuclear weapon, you would have access to civilian nuclear power."

Sarkozy's comments came as officials revealed that Areva, the French nuclear reactor manufacturer, had signed a $700 million electricity distribution and transmission deal with Qatar.

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Oh dear, what is next? British will want their own base in the ME?
Apparently the French don't want to fall behind the US in gobbling up the ME resources.

[luke]

i wonder if france will return the favour and allow the uae to build a base in france ... ?

incredible bit here;

In an interview with Al Jazeera while in Qatar, Sarkozy affirmed Arab nations' right to nuclear energy.

However, he said the right did not extend to Iran as he believed the Islamic Republic should prove definitively it had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons before it should be allowed to develop civilian nuclear energy.

"It would be giving credit to the current Iranian regime if civilian nuclear energy is only used by western democracies," he said.

"France tells Iran 'give up your race for a nuclear weapon - it's a risk and you don't really need it'. And, if you [Iran] stop the race for a nuclear weapon, you would have access to civilian nuclear power."

so the iaea says iran isn't pursuing nuclear weapons, the american intelligence estimate says iran isn't pursuing nuclear weapons, iran says it isn't pursuing nuclear weapons, technologically iran is only at the level of enriching uranium at 3.67% whereas to develop nuclear weapons you need to be enriching at 90%, there is not one shred of evidence that iran is pursuing nuclear weapons - but to sarkozy, that isn't enough?! and thats from a country that HAS nuclear weapons?!

its like iraq - prove you don't have the weapons that you dont have.

i should go back to bed - the world just doesn't make sense

[nico]

[Mandy]

Can someone explain to me what this means :

"It would be giving credit to the current Iranian regime if civilian nuclear
energy is only used by western democracies," he said."

or am I having a slow day

[Mandy]

[faceless]

[nico]

if this does happen, wouldn't be so bad for the Iranians. After all that region needs a second supper power to offset the US hegemony.

[Mandy]

I wish it happens, only so American feels a little what others feel when America opens bases on their doorstep (or in their country).

[t.]

it's worrying me that half of the developed world now has military bases on my doorstep...

and to think of how the region would be now if the pan-arabists had had their way and it would all be 1 country.....you definitely wouldn't have foreign military bases scattered around all over the place