Sarkozy to open new French base during Abu Dhabi visit

During his visit to the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi Monday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to open a new French base on the banks of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to open France's first permanent military base in the Gulf on Monday, giving Paris a strategic role in a region roiled by Iran and a key supply route for oil.Sarkozy will be paying a visit to Abu Dhabi, the wealthiest and largest of the United Arab Emirates, to formally inaugurate the base announced in January last year.Dubbed "Peace Camp", the base will host up to 500 troops stationed in three sites on the banks of the Strait of Hormuz, just across from Iran: a navy and logistical base, an air base with three fighter planes and a training camp.The strategic Strait of Hormuz, which separates the UAE's neighbours Iran and Oman, is a vital conduit through which 40 percent of the world's crude oil is transported.France will be joining Britain and the United States as the few western powers to have a permanent presence in the Gulf and "Peace Camp" is the first French base opened since the end of the colonial era.