HONG KONG, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The first visit to Hong Kong by French command and replenishment ship, the Var, was successful, Rear Admiral Jacques Launay, the Indian Ocean Maritime Area Commander of the French Navy, said here on Thursday.

    Launay said that he had met with officials of the Security Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the government's Flying Service, and both sides agreed to further their cooperation in rescue and search operations.

    "I first came to Hong Kong some 30 years ago, and I feel very lucky to be here again just before the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland," he said.

    On Tuesday, the ship was open to the public, attracting more than 10,000 Hong Kong people, giving a chance for the people of Hong Kong and French sailors to know each other, he said.

    The French sailors were very happy in Hong Kong, he said, especially when they flocked to watch the dragon boat racing on Tuesday, a day for the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.

    The Var arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday for a seven-day visit. Being one of the four replenishment and command ships of French Navy, the ship can provide logistics support to overseas deployed warships and planes. It also carries an important command task with Rear Admiral Jacques Launay in charge, who gets his missions directly from the French Chief of Defense.