22 September : France has expressed its interest in working jointly with India to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The call was confirmed in a statement issued by the French Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, 22 September.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. During the meeting, the two foreign ministers stressed the “imperative of ensuring freedom of navigation” through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Barrot proposed that India work with France, saying the two waterways are critically important to the stability and prosperity of Europe and Asia. He also referred to a joint initiative by France and the United Kingdom aimed at safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the statement, Barrot and Jaishankar also reaffirmed their shared commitment to international law during the meeting and expressed support for an effective and reformed multilateral system.
Source: Al Jazeera.