France joining hands with Monaco to secure its coast
France has been beefing up security inside it to prevent terrorist activities from taking root and growing.
This follows a series of
Islamist attacks in different parts of the European state, against the
background of the publication and republication of cartoons offensive to
Islam's prophet Muhammad.
The cartoons were used by
terrorists to carry out attacks and threaten the security of the French
society.
The latest attacks have
encouraged the French government to formulate new constitutional mechanisms to
rein in Islamist groups and boost security with neighboring states.
On 26 March, France
signed a memorandum of understanding on counterterrorism with the Principality
of Monaco.
Fighting terrorism in
Monaco
Monaco is a small, but
sovereign city on the French Riviera. It is important for France because it is
located in close proximity to Nice, the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes.
Nice has been the site of
a number of terrorist attacks in the past period, especially after terrorism by
Islamist groups took on an international proportion.
Cooperation between the
French government and the Principality of Monaco acquires great importance,
especially in the light of the desire of French authorities to beef up security
on the French coast which receives a large number of tourists every year.
The memorandum of
understanding signed by the two sides opens the door for greater cooperation
between them in the field of legal assistance in terrorism cases.
It also enables them to
form joint investigation teams into potential cases of terrorism.
