France has signed a military co-operation agreement with Qatar, the second in four years.

The accord was signed at the beginning of a two-day visit to Doha by the French defence minister, Alain Richard.

The Qatari chief of staff, Hamad ibn Ali al-Attiya, said the agreement committed France to defend Qatari territory in the event of a crisis and to transfer high-technology equipment to Doha to upgrade Qatar's armed forces.

Correspondents say France maintains close relations with Qatar, providing at least seventy percent of the country'sweapons.