France's President Nicolas Sarkozy addresses UAE and French officials at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, May 26, 2009. France prepared on May 25 to open its first military base in the Gulf Arab region as it eyed multi-billion-dollar deals to supply the United Arab Emirates with nuclear power plants and advanced military aircraft. President Sarkozy will open the base on Tuesday. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES POLITICS MILITARY)