French navy cancels 3 missions because of soaring fuel prices

PARIS - A French military official says soaring fuel prices have forced the French navy to cancel three of its scheduled summer missions.

Navy spokesman Pascal Subtil says missions "that were the least crucial" were cut.

He says one involved naval exercises in the U.S.

The French warship De Grasse was slated to sail alongside American ships in an exercise off the U.S. east coast and in the Gulf of Mexico in July. It includes training in preventing drug trafficking.

Subtil said Monday that another canceled mission was a courtesy visit to the port of Le Havre by the warship Le Mistral slated for France's Bastille Day celebrations July 14.