MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

France delivers two support vessels to Argentina

France will be delivering to Argentina for a “symbolic” price, two support vessels that can each carry 500 troops, four helicopters and 1.500 tons of equipment. The Ouragan is expected in Buenos Aires next mid March and the Orage in 2007.

The news of the transfer of the two vessels had been anticipated by the Buenos Aires press following a meeting between Argentina's Defence minister Nilda Garré and the French ambassador Francis Lott.

The Ouragan will be in Buenos Aires when the French Navy school vessel Jean d'Arc calls in as part of a world tour. Two days later in an official ceremony with the participation of the French Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Oudot de Dainville and Argentina's Admiral Jorge Godoy the vessel will be transferred to the Argentine Navy.

Apparently the "symbolic" price is in the range of 200.000 Euros for each vessel but the Ouragan will also be bringing as donation five radars for the Navy's Super Etandard fighter bombers, eight all terrain vehicles and books for the Argentine Naval School.

However the transaction has not been without controversy in France but not for political reasons but rather environmental, similar to those undergone by the French Navy's carrier Clemenceau which was to be broken up in India but was returned because of the heavy asbestos content.

"Both support vessels Ouragan and Orage comply with all regulations for ships in active duty" said last week in Paris the spokesperson for Defence Secretary Jean-Francois Bureau.

As most vessels built in the sixties, Ouragan and Orage are lined with asbestos a common material for insulation at the time. It was only in the nineties that asbestos, also used by the building and heavy industries was linked to different types of cancer.

"There's no health risk with any of the two vessels. They are currently involved in humanitarian missions. All is perfectly under control and duly certified", insisted the Defence spokesperson

"This case has nothing to do with the Clemenceau which is a decommissioned vessel at the end of its life, which effectively has a problem. The vessels to be delivered in Argentina are active and comply with all health hazard requirements. Besides they have been specifically tested for the presence of asbestos as demanded by regulations", said Jean-Francois Bureau.

The virtual donation of the two support vessels and equipment have been interpreted in Buenos Aires as a step towards the normalization of links with Paris, which had been quite tense in the last two years because of disputes between the President Kirchner administration and French investors in public utilities, some of whom have left Argentina.

The two vessels belong to the Ouragan class small dock Landing Ships with a displacement fully loaded of 8.500 tons and were built in 1965 and 1968. They have diesel propulsion, can reach 17 knots and have a crew of 211. The 149 metres long LSD type vessels have a helicopter deck, are armed with Mistral SAM positions and 4 40 mm AA and can also serve for maintenance, logistics and repair tasks.