France showcased its military strength on Monday by sending the new frigate Auvergne to the eastern Mediterranean, emphasizing what the ship's captain described as Paris's commitment to ensuring security and stability in the region. Captain Paul Murvieau de Vino stated that the frigate Auvergne and its crew of 150 personnel will operate in the eastern Mediterranean until January to collect intelligence and "demonstrate the importance of respecting international law, particularly freedom of navigation" for France.
De Vino addressed reporters at the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, saying, "This deployment underscores the importance of this part of the Mediterranean for France and the country’s readiness to contribute to the stability of this strategic area." The Auvergne was commissioned three years ago and is equipped with advanced technology specialized in anti-submarine warfare. De Vino also noted that this marks the twelfth visit of the Auvergne to Cyprus, highlighting Cyprus as a key factor in supporting French naval operations in the region.
He remarked, "Effective and sustainable naval operations cannot be conducted without support, and Cyprus is at the center of this support." The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has also been making frequent trips to Cyprus. In recent years, relations between Cyprus and France have deepened and strengthened.
Cyprus has allowed French aircraft to use its airbase located in the southeastern part of the island and has permitted French ships to utilize its southern port, which is currently undergoing development.
### Messages to Turkey
France is also keen to assert its presence as a message to Turkey, signaling that it should refrain from intervening in the maritime drilling and exploration operations that French energy company Total and its Italian partner Eni plan to undertake next year in the waters off southern Cyprus. Turkey does not recognize Cyprus as a state and claims rights to the waters that the Cypriot government asserts it has exclusive economic rights over. Ankara views a significant portion of these waters as overlapping with its continental shelf or belonging to the Turkish Cypriots in northern Cyprus.
Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded the island following a coup by supporters of merging with Greece. Turkey is the only country that recognizes the declaration of independence of the Turkish Cypriots made in 1983 in the northern third of the island, where it maintains over 35,000 troops. In February 2018, Turkish warships prevented an Eni-chartered drilling vessel from conducting exploratory drilling in the southeastern waters off Cyprus.
Political analyst Anna Kokides-Prokopiou stated that the French naval presence sends a clear message to Turkey. She told the Associated Press, "(French President Emmanuel) Macron needs to showcase this strength in this region, as it is part of his broader policy to establish or re-establish France as a great power, a power that does not only impose its hegemony in the Middle East but also in Africa. It was necessary for some party to act and fill this void in the eastern Mediterranean, and France is now working to ensure that this party is not Turkey."
