DAVAO CITY – French Ambassador Gerard Chesnel said the visit of the French surveillance frigate Floreal here signifies his country’s confidence in the security situation in this part of the country.
“The visit of the ship is also a political gesture, that we are confident in the security situation here,” he said.
The French frigate arrived here yesterday for a four-day visit during which its 94-man crew will interact with local officers and personnel of the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard.
Based at the Island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, the Floreal is a surveillance frigate that patrols overseas maritime areas under French jurisdiction as well as the French economic exclusive zone north of the Antarctic.
Chesnel said the visit of Floreal marks the first time in eight years that a French naval ship has made Davao City its port of call, adding that French frigates usually dock in Manila or Cebu. – Edith Regalado