The Jean Bart blocks an Emirati vessel smuggling oil. And go back to Toulon (v2)
(B2) The frigate Jean Bart blocked an oil tanker last Friday (May 22). He sought to violate the arms embargo on Libya
The Jal Laxmi, an oil tanker from the United Arab Emirates, was en route to the port of Tobruk, controlled by the forces of General Khalifa Haftar. This as part of a sale of refined products, according to the Bloomberg news agency. The French frigate Jean Bart blocked the tanker for several days.
Return to Toulon
Since, the anti-aircraft frigate returned to Toulon. " After a deployment of several weeks in the central Mediterranean as part of the European Union's operation Irini, the frigate found its base “, announced the national navy on Saturday (May 30).
An operation without ships
This currently leaves Operation Irini without ships, again. On the Italian side, the ship St. George, which will be the flagship of the operation, should join the area of operation shortly. As for the Greeks, their arrival in the operation has been delayed. They had to change boats (read: The damaged Hydra frigate is replaced by the Spetsai frigate).
Comment: a gesture of bad humor
Even if on the side of the national navy it is said that this return was planned, this departure from the area of operation without assured relay is not a very positive sign. It can be interpreted as a moody, political gesture, although the exact reason can lead to two interpretations. Is it just a matter of force generation? France has kept its word by providing a ship, while the other two contributors are dragging their feet. Or is it a more geopolitical reason? The arrest of an Emirati ship, on the orders of the operation command, when France, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and the Emirates agreed to work together on Libya, may have made more waves in Paris ? While this Tuesday, a debate on Irini takes place in the United Nations Security Council – to renew the authorization of inspection of arms control – it is a new tile for the operation, which is struggling to assert itself .
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
Completed Tuesday (June 2) with commentary.