Defense Secretary Mark Esper and his French counterpart will discuss on Saturday how France's navy could coordinate with Washington to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior US defense official said on Friday.
“We recognize that France has an interest in participating in freedom of navigation, bringing freedom of navigation capabilities to the [Arabian] Gulf and we will be looking to find ways to harness and use that interest to better coordinate with our own initiative,” the official told reporters in a conference call ahead of Esper's meeting with Florence Parly in Paris.
France has ruled out joining a US-led coalition of countries protecting oil tankers and cargo ships from threats posed by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, but has pushed for a European alternative.
Also Read
-
NATO: No mission requested in Strait of Hormuz
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday there had been no formal request for the military alliance to launch a mission in the Strait ... Gulf -
US formally asks Germany to ‘help secure’ Strait of Hormuz
The United States has formally asked Germany to join France and Britain in a mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, off the ... Gulf -
British navy to accompany UK-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz
Britain’s navy will accompany UK-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in order to defend freedom of navigation after Iran seized a ... World News -
France, Italy, Denmark back European-led naval mission for Hormuz: diplomats
France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Denmark support a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, three senior EU ... Middle East
