BRUSSELS, Oct 17 (KUNA) -- The European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia-Operation Atalanta and Japan's Self-Defence Forces (SDF) conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, the EU said in a statement here Friday.
This was the first joint exercise between EU NAVFOR and the SDF in counter-piracy activities.Led by the Italian Navy Destroyer "ANDREA DORIA" of EU NAVFOR-Atalanta and the Japanese Destroyer "Takanami", it aimed to increase interoperability and mutual knowledge between the respective navies, noted the statement.
The preparation for this joint exercise followed an agreement between EU and Japanese leaders during the 22nd Japan-EU summit last May in Brussels.
The EU and Japan are global partners sharing common values of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The EU intends to continue advancing cooperation with Japan in a broad of range of areas, it added .
KUNA : EU, Japan hold joint counter-piracy exercise in Gulf of Aden - Security - 17/10/2014
