Middle East Economic Survey

VOL. LII

No 22

1-Jun-2009

UAE

French Base In UAE Intended To Protect Sea Lanes From Pirates

France has opened a naval and air force base in the UAE to help combat piracy and secure oil and gas supplies from the region. Some 90% of European trade traffic is by sea and we have to defend traffic and trade and we are interested in the Gulf and want to bring about the necessary balance in this region, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in Abu Dhabi last week. The...