PARIS TO HELP KL FIGHT PIRACY

LANGKAWI (Malaysia), Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Paris, which has a long and
established military relationship with Kuala Lumpur, is extending its
cooperation in combating piracy in the region, French Defence Minister Herve
Morin said Thursday.

Speaking through a translator, he said, France hoped to strengthen the
bilateral relationship by complimenting Malaysia's efforts to fight piracy in
the regional waterways.

"We understand that Malaysia is playing a key role in fighting piracy in
this region. Thus, we will give our priority in helping Malaysia to achieve it,"
he said at a press conference after visiting the Langkawi International Maritime
and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2009 here Wednesday.

Earlier, Morin met his Malaysian counterpart, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The French defence minister said France had also invited Malaysia to join
forces in 'Operation Atlanta' to fight piracy in the Somali waters.

He said that the operation launched in December last year, was aimed at
protecting the United Nations food aid shipment to Somalia and combat piracy in
the region.

Morin said that France had been discussing with Malaysia on the kind of
cooperation that the two countries could engage in namely to fight piracy and
the possibility of integrated maritime exercises.

To a question on France's role in Afghanistan, he said that France might be
involved in training local security forces and institutions.

"If France were to make any additional commitment, it will be in the form of
training the Afghan army, police and government institutions," he said when
commenting on a report that the United States had asked France to send an
additional 1,500 troops.

He said France would need time to assess the situation in Afghanistan
before providing a "good" answer on the country's role there.
-- BERNAMA