French Ambassador Laurence Auer: Black Sea, kind of black hole in our strategic position in the EU

  The Black Sea has been, to a certain extent, a "black hole" in the strategic position in the European Union, French Ambassador Laurence Auer said on Friday at the "Atlantic - Black Sea Security Forum"."In all periods it was very important that we had a strategic position, a strategic position that encloses the Black Sea. The Black Sea somehow has been since 2015, a kind of a black hole in our strategic position in the EU," the diplomat said.The ambassador spoke about current initiatives in the region."We committed ourselves again to the security of the Black Sea, with all the challenges, energy in the Deep Neptune oil project, the capacity of being present in the Black Sea again with our military naval forces and of course (...) we are ready not only to be as friends, as a framework-nation, but we are also there to show that a NATO battalion or a NATO brigade is ready to defend, in all its aspects, the security of the Black Sea," said Laurence Auer.In his turn, Colonel Flavien Garrigou-Grandchamp, Senior National Representative (SNR) in Romania, told the same conference that France has more than 750 soldiers present in our country. They are divided in three main detachments, the most visible being the NATO battle group, based in Cincu. For the moment, some of the military are stationed at Cincu, and others at the base in Mihail Kogalniceanu. About 360 of the soldiers are French, reinforced by Belgian forces and, since August, by a Dutch infantry company.Next comes the second detachment dealing with the ground-to-air missile defense system, MAMBA, deployed at Capu Midia, with about 100 French soldiers, also under NATO command. The third detachment, a multinational unit, consists of technical staff, 150 French, 60 Dutch, 30 Romanian engineers and as of August 50 Belgians will join them. This detachment is led by France as framework-nation and they are building the camp in Cincu for hosting and lodging the Battle Group. He added that as of November the battle group will be at Cincu in full group, once the works for the military base are completed.Asked about the period when the French troops will stay in Romania, Flavien Garrigou-Grandchamp said that it is a "long-term commitment". "We have not been here for a year or two. I cannot tell you that there are five, that there are 10, we will stay as long as necessary. The situation will decide," he added.