France close to Qatar military, transport contracts: presidential source | World Defense

France close to Qatar military, transport contracts: presidential source

Khafee

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
12,324
Reactions
24,463 1,293 0
France close to Qatar military, transport contracts: presidential source
DECEMBER 4, 2017

PARIS (Reuters) - France is close to finalizing major military and transport contracts during a visit by Emmanuel Macron to Qatar on Thursday, a French presidential source said.

Qatar has an option to buy 12 more Dassault-made Rafale fighter jets after buying 24 planes in 2015 for about 6 billion euros ($7.11 billion) and officials have said that the deal could be concluded this week.

The two sides are also in talks for sale of 300 VBCI armored vehicles from French firm Nexter and a contract worth some 3 billion euros to manage the Doha metro for 20 years.
“Discussions are ongoing,” a French presidential source told reporters on Monday ahead of the visit. “You spoke about several dossiers for which the point of maturity is close, but I prefer to remain a little bit prudent and wait until Thursday.”

Paris has close commercial and political ties with Qatar and has pushed further business interests in the country as well as encourage investment into France, where the gas-rich Gulf state already has assets of about $10 billion.

It has also sought to play a role as a go-between in a row, which began in early June when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut political and trade ties with Qatar.

Since then Qatar has sought to strengthen its military, including signing military equipment deals with the United States, Russia and Britain.
($1 = 0.8441 euros)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...t-contracts-presidential-source-idUSKBN1DY18R
 

UAE

SENIOR MEMBER
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
1,641
Reactions
929 11 0
Country
USA
Location
United Arab Emirates
Not good. It would have been better if they went for the EuroFighter instead. At least they don't have to worry about high maintenance cost. They can drop by the Saudis BAE facility and have things tighten up.
 

Khafee

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
12,324
Reactions
24,463 1,293 0
Not good. It would have been better if they went for the EuroFighter instead. At least they don't have to worry about high maintenance cost. They can drop by the Saudis BAE facility and have things tighten up.
Currently the Qataris have less than a dozen, M2K's about 11.

They have gone ahead and bought EF, F15 and Rafale - big ticket items like these, are also used to buy clout.
 

UAE

SENIOR MEMBER
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
1,641
Reactions
929 11 0
Country
USA
Location
United Arab Emirates
Currently the Qataris have less than a dozen, M2K's about 11.

They have gone ahead and bought EF, F15 and Rafale - big ticket items like these, are also used to buy clout.

Its completely different schools. You do not put the Rafale in the same basket as the EF & F-15. Putting EF and F-15 together is fine, both share similar components and can work simultaneity well. The Rafale on the other hands is going to cause headache. Where will the Rafale be assigned, what role will they be play. Qatar is geographically small and does only have few military airports, two to three air to surface missiles will completely paralyzed the runways. Qatar has open terrains and that makes it vulnerable to attacks, no proper HAS either. There is no meaning to have many jets of different kinds where you don't have the proper infrastructure, strategic depth, AWACS, EW, tankers. I failed to understand the logic behind this so I conclude that the deal is more of a political one no more.
 

Khafee

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
12,324
Reactions
24,463 1,293 0
Qatar signs on to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets from France
By Fay Abuelgasim 
December 07 2017

DOHA, Qatar — Qatar’s ruling emir and French President Emmanuel Macron signed 12 billion euros ($14 billion) in deals during the French president’s visit to Doha on Thursday, including the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets with the option of buying 36 more.

The agreement brings the total number of Rafales the Gulf Arab country will have to 36.

Macron is traveling with Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who in 2015 as defense minister helped negotiate a deal with Qatar to buy 24 Rafale fighter jets. As part of a deal negotiated two years ago, Qatar exercised its right to purchase 12 aircraft.

France and Qatar also agreed that Qatar would purchase 490 VBCI armored vehicles from French firm Nexter, and signed a transportation deal with France’s national rail authority to manage and maintain Doha’s planned metro, as well as a light rail system north of Doha.

Qatar announced it would additionally buy 50 Airbus twin-engine A321s with option of buying 30 more.

Macron’s one-day trip to Qatar comes as the Gulf nation faces continued isolation and a boycott by some of its Arab neighbors. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut relations with Qatar over allegations it supports extremists and has too-close relations with Iran.

Qatar has long denied supporting extremists and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran. It has also rejected demands put forth by the quartet as infringement on its sovereignty.

In a rare press conference, held with Macron, Qatar’s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said it was especially disappointing that neighboring states cut off ties with Qatar during the holy month of Ramadan in June.
“For us, our dignity and the sovereignty of Qatar are above everything. If our brothers want to resolve this crisis then we are ready on a basis that is clear and feasible to everyone and without the interference of anyone’s sovereignty,” he said.

Earlier this week, a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Kuwait failed to bring the standoff any closer to a resolution.
While in Qatar, Macron traveled to the vast al-Udeid air base, which hosts U.S.-led international coalition operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and the war in Afghanistan.

The air base is home to some 10,000 American troops and the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command. France also has a contingent of several hundred French troops in Qatar as part of the 1,200 French forces active in the region in the battle against the IS group.

Macron smiled and shook hands with the French and American soldiers who greeted him at the base before walking into a meeting with the base’s top commanders.

Speaking to coalition soldiers, he said the next few months of battle will determine the outcome of the war against the IS group in Iraq in Syria.
“This military win does not signify the end of the operations and the end of our battle because first we need to stabilize and win peace in Iraq and Syria,” he told troops. “Next spring is decisive in the situation in Iraq.”

Macron also stressed in his remarks at the air base that France wants to avoid partition in Syria and “avoid the domination of certain international elements whose interests contradict peace.”

Later, during his joint press conference, he noted the importance of maintaining the Iranian nuclear accord that France helped negotiate alongside other world powers. He also called for an internationally defined framework to contain Iran’s regional ambitions and “ways to put limits” on Iran’s presence in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...848315642d0_story.html?utm_term=.7e21e13a082d
 
Top