ISTANA NURUL IMAN, Wednesday, 14 March 2018 – His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), today received in audience the Rear Admiral Denis Bertrand, Joint Commander Armed Forces in French Polynesia and Commander of the French Polynesian and Pacific Maritime Zones at the Istana Nurul Iman.
Present at the ceremony were Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Second Minister of Defence; Major General Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); and His Excellency Christian Ramage, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of France to Brunei Darussalam.
Defence and military relations between the two countries were significantly enhanced when the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Cooperation in Defence Matters and in Defence Equipment was signed on 25 February 1999. Recently, the 12th Joint Defence Working Committee (JDWC) meeting was conducted on 6 March 2018 between the senior officials of both countries where matters on advancing bilateral defence cooperation were deliberated. The occasion to build upon the friendship between the two countries was further highlighted with the goodwill visit by French frigate VENDÉMIAIRE to Brunei Darussalam on 7th to 9th March 2018.
The one-day official introductory visit by Rear Admiral Denis Bertrand aims to further strengthen the defence and military cooperation between the two countries.
KEBAWAH DYMM PADUKA SERI BAGINDA SULTAN DAN YANG DI-PERTUAN NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BERKENAN MENERIMA MENGADAP JOINT COMMANDER ARMED FORCES IN FRENCH POLYNESIA AND COMMANDER OF THE FRENCH POLYNESIAN AND PACIFIC MARITIME ZONES
ISTANA NURUL IMAN, Rabu, 14 Mac 2018 – Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, Menteri Pertahanan dan Pemerintah Tertinggi Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) telah berkenan menerima mengadap Laksamana Muda Denis Bertrand, Joint Commander Armed Forces in French Polynesia and Commander of the French Polynesian and Pacific Maritime Zones di Istana Nurul Iman.
Hadir pada majlis tersebut ialah Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd. Yussof, Menteri Pertahanan Kedua; Mejar Jeneral Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, Pemerintah ABDB; dan Tuan Yang Terutama Christian Ramage, Duta Besar Istimewa dan Mutlak Republik Perancis ke Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Hubungan pertahanan dan ketenteraan antara kedua-dua negara telah meningkat dengan ketara apabila Memorandum Persefahaman mengenai Kerjasama dalam Bidang-Bidang Pertahanan dan Kelengkapan Pertahanan telah ditandatangani pada 25 Februari 1999. Baru-baru ini, satu mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Kerja Pertahanan Bersama (JKPB) yang ke-12 antara pegawai-pegawai kanan di kedua-dua negara telah diadakan pada 6 Mac 2018. Mesyuarat berkenaan antara lain telah membincangkan inisiatif-inisiatif bagi memajukan kerjasama pertahanan dua hala. Persahabatan di antara kedua-dua negara telah menyerlah dengan lawatan muhibbah Kapal Tentera Laut Perancis VENDÉMIAIRE ke Brunei Darussalam pada 7 hingga 9 Mac 2018 baru-baru ini.
Lawatan pengenalan rasmi satu hari Laksamana Muda Denis Bertrand bertujuan untuk meneruskan usaha pengukuhan kerjasama pertahanan dan ketenteraan di antara Negara Brunei Darussalam dan Republik Perancis.