France-Cyprus co-operation highlighted by visit to naval vessel

The military cooperation between France and Cyprus was highlighted by Defence Minster Charalambos Petrides on Tuesday when he paid a visit to the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle at the Limassol port.

The carrier has been anchored at the port since Saturday and is playing a key role in the joint military exercise between the two countries, as part of the two-month long Clemenceau mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Charles de Gaulle, which carried 20 Rafale marine fighter aircraft onboard, leads a strike group composed of two destroyers and a frigate tasked with anti-submarine and air defence duties, as well as a supply ship and a nuclear-powered submarine.

Petrides was accompanied in his visit by French ambassador to Cyprus Salina Grenet-Catalano, Chief of the National Guard Demokritos Zervakis and the Director General of the Ministry Andreas Loukas.