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French aircraft carrier runs away
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is returning to France next week, say French officials, apparently scotching suggestions that it might be heading for the Gulf. The vessel set sail on 4 February from its Mediterranean home port of Toulon, amid speculation that its final destination might be the Gulf. Officially the vessel was heading for exercises off Crete, but some military analysts believed that it would subsequently join the build-up of military forces in the Gulf. However, a senior French naval spokesman said on Monday there was "no question" of the Charles de Gaulle going to the Gulf. "Are you crazy? There may be a war there!" "As planned, we will leave Crete again on 21 February and we should arrive back in Toulon on 25 February," said Lieutenant Commander Bertrand Bonneau of the Charles de Gaulle battle group. "There is no question at all of us going to the Gulf," he told the French news agency AFP. Good! Posted by: Steve 2003-02-18 |
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