Penguin escreveu:Report: Rafale sale sparks war between France's "industrial jewels"
By Stephen Trimble on November 16, 2010 3:48 PM
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/
Selling weapons to the United Arab Emirates must not be as easy as it looks. Sure, the Emiratis have plenty of cash and happen to occupy the non-Iranian half of the Strait of Hormuz, but they still like to drive a hard bargain.
The global arms industry has waited for years for the UAE to sign a contract to buy 60 Dassault Rafales, which has already lost more potential customers than BP gas station owners in Louisiana.
Until recently, France was reportedly resisting demands by the UAE to take back about 60 Mirage 2000-9s in exchange for a Rafale sale. But now French newspaper La Tribune has reported the UAE has insisted on a second condition.
In return for buying the Rafale, France must give the UAE's two airlines -- Abu Dhabi's Etihad and Dubai's Emirates -- more landing slots at major French airports, especially Charles de Gaulle near Paris. According to La Tribune, this forces the French government to choose between "two of its industrial jewels": Rafale manufacturer Dassault and Air France.
With putting scumbaging press from Trimble and Jon Lake you ridiculising yourself a bit deeper!