Macron lauds deepening security ties with Cairo
France to discuss possible new Rafale sale: Le Maire
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron lauded deepening security and diplomatic ties with Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday.
Macron stressed how Egypt was a vital partner in the fight against extremism in the Middle East and Europe, as well as key in the search for lasting political solutions in warwracked Libya and Syria.
“The first battle that we have in common is the fight against terrorism,” Macron said during a joint press conference, which underlined their common purpose against extremists, which have claimed hundreds of victims in both countries.
Cairo is fighting the Egyptian branch of Daesh in the north of the Sinai Peninsula and has faced a series of attacks that has affected its vital tourism industry.
At least 16 Egyptian police officers were killed at the weekend in an ambush by Islamist fighters in the country’s western desert in a rare flare-up outside the Sinai.
Egypt is a major buyer of French military equipment with orders worth more than €5 billion ($5.8 billion) since 2015.
Those deals were negotiated by former Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian who is now foreign minister in Macron’s government.
Earlier on Tuesday, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Europe 1 Radio France would discuss the possible sale of more Rafale aircrafts with El-Sisi during his visit.
Under the previous government, France had concluded several major military agreements with Egypt, including the sale of 24 Rafale combat aircraft, a multi-mission frigate and two Mistral warships in contracts worth some €6 billion.
The 2015 Rafale contract — the first export contract for the jet — included the option of selling another 12 aircrafts.
“If there can be new contracts, so much the better…” said Le Maire, when asked by Europe 1 Radio to comment on reports that the sale of the extra 12 aircrafts was on the table but that his ministry was reluctant because of the payment terms asked for by Egypt.
“It is normal that Bercy (the French finance ministry) would want to make sure Egypt should be able to pay its plane orders,” Le Maire said.