FRANCE LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW INITIATIVES UNDER MALAYSIA'S ASEAN CHAIRMANSHIP

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- France is looking forward to further progress and new initiatives under Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN this year, as Malaysia plays a key role as a driving force within the Southeast Asian bloc.

Ambassador of France to Malaysia, Axel Cruau, expressed that France is eager to strengthen its dialogue with Malaysia as the Chair to explore ways in which both France and the European Union can collaborate with ASEAN on various priorities, including development and energy.

“Broadly speaking, we anticipate a very active ASEAN chairmanship. We recognise that Malaysia has several priorities, with inclusivity and sustainability being the two core mottos. 

“We are here to work even more closely with Malaysia and with the entire of ASEAN. France is a partner of ASEAN, and we want to do more with ASEAN as a whole and that is definitely one of our priorities,” he said in a press conference in French Navy Air Defence Destroyer, at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal, here today.

He highlighted that France’s presence in the Indo-Pacific is motivated by its focus on missions dedicated to safeguarding security, peace, and stability, the cornerstones of prosperity.

Cruau also highlighted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is actively engaged in the ASEAN Chairmanship 2025.

“As you are aware, he is travelling to Europe and will be visiting Brussels (Belgium) in the coming days. We hope for very positive news during this trip,” he added.

Malaysia officially assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship on Jan 1 under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability.’ This marks the fifth time Malaysia has held the chairmanship, following its terms in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.

Earlier, Cruau and more than 50 French Navy crew members honoured the crew of the French destroyer Mousquet, which sunk during World War 1 in the Bay of Penang by the German cruiser Emden, at the Church of the Assumption, here.

He paid tribute to the 43 sailors who perished on Oct 28, 1914, when the Mousquet was sunk while attempting to intervene during the German raid that also destroyed the Russian cruiser Zhemchug.

Currently, the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) comprising the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier, its embarked air fleet and its escort vessels (destroyers and supply ship) are making stopovers in Penang from Jan 12 as part of its Mission CLEMENCEAU 25.

According to the French Embassy in Malaysia, the CSG will join the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in the fourth edition of the multinational exercise 'LA PEROUSE,' organised by the French Navy. This exercise will bring together eight partners - Australia, Canada, France, India, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The maritime security exercise will be conducted across three strategic areas: the Straits of Melaka, La Sunda, and Lombok, Indonesia. Planned interactions will encompass a wide range of maritime security operations.

In the Strait of Melaka, the French Navy will deploy an Air Defence Destroyer, while the RMN will participate with one Corvette and one Offshore Patrol Vessel.

-- BERNAMA