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.
I agree that they had no business taking the RW out, but I also think they had no business doing nuclear testing either. The french make their own rules.
You're just expected to buy their stuff.
hehehe... :))
LOL
How are things, BTW?
We came home after our reception and arent going on our Honeymonn til December, and these kids want to go to NZ!
Among other problems. New Carrier's Flight Deck Too Short
Allow me not to agree with you, Shaggy.
Those crowds of traitors marching against their own nations in the streets of London today aren't armed, too... for the time being. But they are militarily organised (exactly like Hitlerist stormtroopers were) and able to grab weapons the moment their leaders order.
All Communist organisations changed their names in the recent decades and became either "democratic", or "environmental", or "human rights" movements. Feeble disguise, but for those who're gullible it works!
So "Rainbow Warrior" wasn't just a nuisance, she was part of a trend, and this trend led to today's environazism - our very own Fart Tax being part of it.
Posted by Ditto:
Actually, I heard the De Gaulle does not use arresting cables. About 10 meters up the flight deck thay have a puddle Bouillabaisse followed by a tasty bed of Moules Marinières quickly backed up by a hearty helping of Boeuf Bourguignon. The last stop is generous spread of mousse au chocolat that has enough cholesterol to stop a fully loaded C5-A.After landing, pilots decent below decks to debriefing with Cognac and fine cigars followed by a roll in the sack with the Skipper's wife.
Vive La’France!
My observation wasn't about the site of the deed ~ it was the deed it'self that I found so enjoyable.
As I said, I wasn't there and I barely remember it.
Why didn't the New Zealand government do something about it ~ that's what seems strange to me ~ is/was the gang in power down there a bunch of pussies?
,,, Greenpeace, for better or worse suffered from and act of terrorism. The US can't claim exclusivity in this regard. Such acts occur anywhere the perpetrators choose. Taking geography, timeframe and your proximity out of the equation, can you isolate any difference between Sept 11 and the Rainbow Warrior event? The main one I can list as reflex is that a government ordered this event on a civilian ship in what could loosely be termed as "France's national interest". That put France at the bottom of my list in international credibility for western nations. Further, the fact that they cling so desperately to the UN confirms for me that I'm on the right track in not trusting them. I'm hoping New Zealand doesn't purchase naval hardware from global citizen France.
The Lange government of the day initially made a naive statement that the two French agents who did the deed would never go free. New Zealand exports were subsequently under threat and the DGSE agents were flown home to France. Things quietened down but I recall I needed a visa to visit France in 1989 and was detained for a short time at the Italian border as I entered. It had implications at many levels for businesses and individuals.
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