France to boost military presence in Romania

BUCHAREST: France will deploy armoured personnel carriers and tanks in central Romania by the end of October to strengthen the NATO battle group stationed there, the Defence Ministry in Bucharest said in a statement.

A company of armoured personnel carriers and a company of Leclerc tanks of the French Army will be dispatched to the town of Cincu in central Romania both by rail and on wheels, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

The Battle Group Forward Presence (BGFP) was established in Romania in May by transforming the allied multinational elements within the NATO Response Force deployed in the country.

Led by France, the battle group is stationed at the Joint National Training Centre in Cincu, where it has been carrying out missions and training activities together with the Romanian Army.

France aims to step up its military presence in Romania and will deploy additional armoured vehicles and tanks there, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday.