Friendly French frigate, La Moqueuse, on 2-day visit [1]
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - 16:06. Updated on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 10:06.
IN Nuku'alofa on a goodwill visit the French navy frigate, La Moqueuse, under the command of Lt Commander Francois Nevejans, berthed at the Queen Salote Wharf for two days March 17-18.
Lt. Cmdr. Nevejans said their visit,"is to maintain the good relationship between France and Tonga."
The La Moqueuse, based in New Caledonia, is a part of the French permanent naval fleet in the Pacific. Its main mission is patrolling the Exclusive Economic Zones of the South Pacific including its French Territories economic zones of New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna.
On Thursday, Lt. Cmdr. Nevejans met Tonga's Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano, the Commander of the Tonga Defence Services Brigadier Tau'aika 'Uta'atu and the Secretary for Foreign Affairs Mahe'uli'uli Tupouniua.
The La Moqueuse carries 32 crew. The frigate is equipped with a 40mm cannon, a 20 mm cannon and two 7.62 mm machine guns along with computer navigational radar that detects vessels, from up to 15 nautical miles away.
La Moqueuse was open for public viewing on March 18 before leaving for New Caledonia via Brisbane, Australia.