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France offers to train more Somali forces

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Friday, October 09, 2009

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PARIS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- France has proposed to train 3,000 more Somali security forces in order to ensure stability to the pirates-infested area, the French Defense Ministry said Friday in a statement.

Defense Minister Herve Morin made the offer in a letter sent on Oct. 6 to his Swedish counterpart, whose country currently hold the presidency of European Union, the ministry said.

France are already training Somali forces at the request of the Somali government, according to the statement, 150 Somali soldiers have been in French training camp in Djibouti.

France is "committed to actively participating in European mission, especially by providing training and logistical support...A robust training of Somali security forces could lead to an efficient action to stabilize the area." Morin said in the statement.

The European Union launched a naval mission, nicknamed Operation Atalanta, last year, to fight Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, and France plays a key role in the mission.

Source: Xinhua, Oct 09, 2009