Abu Dhabi military base will help fight piracy, says French minister

Abu Dhabi: France's first military base in the Gulf is an important step in the international effort to fight piracy and safeguard crucial oil routes, said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Monday.

"The world's seas must remain free from threats," Kouchner told a regional security conference in Abu Dhabi.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was to inaugurate the French naval base in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.