Sarkozy arrives in Abu Dhabi to open French naval base, Louvre

May 25, 2009, 17:38 GMT

Abu Dhabi - French president Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday night, at the beginning of a two-day visit that will see France open its first military base in the Gulf region.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, speaking at a maritime security conference in the capital of the United Arab Emirates ahead of Sarkozy's arrival, said he hoped the base, which is being called a 'sea peace camp,' would safeguard trade in the region and help combat piracy off the Somali coast.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan told the conference he saw French-UAE cooperation as 'a pillar' of the Emirates' foreign policy and as a source for 'stability in the Gulf region.'

Sarkozy was scheduled to open the base, which will house some 450 French troops just across the Strait of Homruz from Iran, on Tuesday.

At Monday's conference, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nayahan focused on Paris and Abu Dhabi's diplomatic and economic ties, noting France's 583-million-euro (817 million dollars) investments in the Emirates.

During his visit, Sarkozy is also scheduled to lay a stone in the foundation of a branch of the Louvre museum on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat, or 'Happiness' Island during his visit.

The Abu Dhabi Louvre, which will stand alongside branches of the Guggenheim museum and New York University, is a cornerstone of the city-state's bid to position itself as a hub for high culture, learning, and tourism.

Human rights groups have faulted the Emirate for its treatment of South Asian workers employed in the construction of the island.

In a report released last week, the New York-based pressure group Human Rights Watch concluded that while Abu Dhabi had taken 'some positive steps' to improve conditions for workers, thousands of workers faced 'severe exploitation and abuse.'

'Sarkozy would do well on this visit to examine the existing labour conditions on the island,' Human Rights Watch's Middle East director, Sarah-Leah Whitson told the German Press Agency dpa on Monday.

'He should obtain assurances and make public the guarantees that will avoid abuse and exploitation on the Louvre's own project.'

The French delegation will also likely encourage Abu Dhabi to buy French Rafale fighter jets. On Saturday, the French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Dassault Aviation was 'close' to finalising a deal with the Emirates worth as much as 8 billion euros.

French power companies are also bidding on a multi-billion-euro deal to build two nuclear power plants in the Emirates.