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Visiting French minister wants Navy to buy France vessels (France Looking To Team Up With The JV)
New Zealand Herald ^
| 21.11.2003
| FRAN O'SULLIVAN
Posted on 11/20/2003 1:00:30 PM PST by presidio9
Visiting French State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Renaud Muselier wants New Zealand to buy France vessels for its naval coastguard.
The first visit by a top-ranking French minister in more than 10 years marks a turning-point in the relationship between the two countries.
"I happen to know that some French companies have offered ships to New Zealand," Mr Muselier said.
All that remains for me is to wish that New Zealand will make a competent choice as it did with Airbus."
Air New Zealand has added Airbus planes to its fleet.
Mr Muselier said: "New Zealand and France are friends - they are allies.
"We feel that France, New Zealand and Australia constitute the basis for stability in the Pacific region.
"The three Navies are already co-operating on surveillance work."
New Zealand and France opposed the US-led war on Iraq.
But Prime Minister Helen Clark has sent engineering troops to Basra.
"We wish to help our American friends in Iraq," said Mr Muselier.
"But our involvement must go through the United Nations.
"We wish to see Iraq keep its territorial integrity and remain a sovereign state."
Mr Muselier met Helen Clark and Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff yesterday.
A joint ministerial statement announcing a new project aimed at improving public health in the region was issued yesterday.
Said Mr Goff: "New Zealand and France have a warm relationship and have co-operated in recent years in development assistance to the Pacific."
Mr Goff has been invited to visit France next year. But a proposed visit by French President Jacques Chirac looks to be in doubt.
During his two-day visit, Mr Muselier attended a "moving" wreath-laying ceremony at Auckland's War Memorial Museum to commemorate the two countries's shared history as "brothers-in-arms".
"This reminded us of how much New Zealand fought alongside France during the world wars," he said.
But he acknowledged it was the "shared vision" on Iraq which drew the two countries closer together in the past year.
Like New Zealand, France did not make the Rugby World Cup finals.
Mr Muselier last night celebrated the arrival of the new Beaujolais vintage, a widely celebrated event on the French wine calendar.
He is one of three French Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs (equivalent to an associate minister).
His responsibilities include the Asia-Pacific region and the French overseas community.
He has been accompanied by MP Philippe Vitel, head of the France-NZ Friendship Group in France's National Assembly.
TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS:
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1
posted on
11/20/2003 1:00:31 PM PST
by
presidio9
To: presidio9
"All that remains for me is to wish that New Zealand will make a competent choice as it did with Airbus." Apparantly State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Renaud Muselier missed a class or two in Salesmanship 101. Or maybe just in Chewing Gum and Walking 101. LOL.
Next I suppose we'll hear that NZ has signed on the dotted line.
(steely)
To: presidio9
The French built ships come with a white flag and automatic hoister in case the boat is confronted with various dangers such as pirates, rough seas, sharks or the SS Minnow.
3
posted on
11/20/2003 1:05:34 PM PST
by
bobjam
To: presidio9
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Like New Zealand, France did not make the Rugby World Cup finals.
Yet another reason for Johnie WIlkonson to be IRB Player of THe Year!!!
4
posted on
11/20/2003 1:05:40 PM PST
by
.cnI redruM
('Bread and Circuses' ...Fun until you run out of dough.)
To: presidio9; shaggy eel; All
5
posted on
11/20/2003 1:08:38 PM PST
by
dighton
("Saddam the dirty, the son of the dirty, in which septic tank are you hiding now?")
To: presidio9
"This reminded us of how much New Zealand fought alongside France during the world wars," he said.I didn't know NZ was part of the Axis?
6
posted on
11/20/2003 1:08:51 PM PST
by
T.Smith
To: bobjam
The French built ships come with a white flag and automatic hoister I think you're thinking of the autopilot switch position (default) of executing a 180 degree turn and putting on all speed when shots are heard.
To: bobjam
The French built ships come with a white flag... Didn't realize the French even had a navy. Why bother with white flags? Just paint one on the side.
8
posted on
11/20/2003 1:10:30 PM PST
by
Egon
(I'll respect you... I'll respect you even more... Just use more whipped cream...)
To: Steely Tom
They will have to remove the glass bottoms from the ships or else the New Zealanders will see the real French fleet.
9
posted on
11/20/2003 1:11:55 PM PST
by
Lee Heggy
(In France, 'to speak is to lie, to live is to collaborate' ...)
To: presidio9
They missed the part about the minister saying that the visit meant "peace in our time."
To: presidio9
Will these Frog ships come equipped with the latest in 'White Flags'.
11
posted on
11/20/2003 1:15:35 PM PST
by
vladog
To: presidio9
That's funny, I thought the Frenchies (a.k.a. Snail Eating Surrender Monkeys) could only sink ships.
Insert photo of keeled over "Rainbow Warrior" in Auckland harbor here:
12
posted on
11/20/2003 1:17:08 PM PST
by
PfromHoGro
(The W knows)
To: vladog
Will these Frog ships come equipped with the latest in 'White Flags'. No need!

Classic French Flag

New and Improved French Flag
13
posted on
11/20/2003 1:22:28 PM PST
by
Egon
(I'll respect you... I'll respect you even more... Just use more whipped cream...)
To: P from Sheb
Okee Dokee:
14
posted on
11/20/2003 1:25:17 PM PST
by
gridlock
(OK, so I was wrong about Hillary! announcing for President yesterday. Sue me!)
To: presidio9
France is peaceful nation.
Why do they have such a large arms industry?
15
posted on
11/20/2003 1:26:41 PM PST
by
Kay Soze
(We allow abortion, homosexuality and we are foolish to think God will continue to bless this nation.)
To: P from Sheb
16
posted on
11/20/2003 1:27:57 PM PST
by
presidio9
(Islam is as Islam does)
To: vladog
Will these Frog ships come equipped with the latest in 'White Flags'.Sure, plus they'll come with screws that fall off whenever the ship leaves port.
17
posted on
11/20/2003 1:31:00 PM PST
by
CFC__VRWC
(AIDS, abortion, euthanasia - don't liberals just kill ya?)
To: presidio9
Fine. Works for me. The French and the Kiwis belong together.
18
posted on
11/20/2003 1:38:16 PM PST
by
Ronin
(Qui docet discit!)
To: dighton; expots; Neophyte; Hot Tabasco; blackie; Dan from Michigan; AMNZ; Brian Allen; cyborg; ...
,,, it's good to see that some people have posted pics of the Rainbow Warrior on this thread. Note that it's not mentioned at all in the article - the only nation to perpetrate a terrorist action against New Zealand, in New Zealand, has been France. Helen Klark goes there as often as she can. Airbus was the option over Boeing recently for government controlled Air New Zealand; let's watch how this one pans out.
To: shaggy eel
Yes, it would have been more appropriate if New Zealand would have had the cajones to send in its own frogmen to sink the Rainbow Warrior ...
...but, at least, the French were able to sink an unarmed scow, sitting at anchor in a "friendly" harbour.
20
posted on
11/20/2003 1:44:04 PM PST
by
BlueLancer
(Der Elite Møøsenspåånkængrüppen ØberKømmååndø (EMØØK))
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