Posted on 05/05/2005 3:29:04 PM PDT by desidude_in_us
Upset France cries foul over AI’s Boeing deal
Posted online: Thursday, May 05, 2005 at 1145 hours IST
NEW DELHI, MAY 5: Disappointed over Air India's decision to buy 50 aircraft from Boeing and not Airbus Industrie, France feels that "some factors other than commercial" have influenced the deal.
French Ambassador to India Dominique Girard still hopes India will consider "comprehensive factors" while going for 126 fighter planes for the Air Force in which French Mirage jets will be competing. "We are surprised and disappointed. Airbus definitely has an advantage over Boeing," Girard said here when asked to comment on the recent decision by India's international carrier to purchase planes from the American company.
He claimed that Boeing would not be able to deliver all the 50 planes on urgent basis, a requirement of the Air India which could be met easily by Airbus. Listing other "advantages", he said Airbus aircraft are competitive in terms of price, are known to Indian pilots and are easy to train on. "It is clear that some factors other than commercial have played a role," the envoy said, hinting that Air India's decision was influenced by the growing Indo-US relations politically.
Girard, speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Euronews channel here, said the disappointment for Airbus was more as the company expected the Air India order and had even started preparations in this regard.
Asked about possibility of growing Indo-US relations similarly influencing the deal of 126 fighters to be purchased by IAF, the French ambassador said "I am sure the Indian government is wise enough not to base its decision on one factor or other but take comprehensive factors into consideration".
The US has offered to sell its F-16 or F-18 version of jets to India. But France's Dassault company, manufacturer of Mirage planes, is also expected to participate in the bidding.
Girard asserted that the most important advantage of buying fighters from France was reliability. "We value contracts. We never stop supplies in any condition," he said, apparently referring to the US which had imposed halted supplies of several defence items to India after 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests.
Besides, he added, that Mirage fighters, rated among the best in the world, were already known to IAF and these had been tested in combat and other situations. "But if still, the IAF deal goes to the US, it will mean that a lot of other factors have gone into consideration," he said.
He, however, acknowledged that the US was working overtime to push sales of its civilian and military planes which France should also do.
Must give full credit to the Bush govt, esp Condi Rice, for ensuring this deal.
I guess that Chirac couldn't push another Airburst product despite all of his begging, pleading, and bullying.
No wonder Boeing's orders are flooding in!
Chirac: "Le Whaa!"
Will Airbus EVER accept its losses and move on?
Boeing has lost several major orders in the last few years but do you see them whine and cry and beg? No. They just keep bettering their products.
Fact: the Boeing 787 is superior to the Airbus A350
Fact: while the 787 will be able to land at most of the world's airports, the A380 will only be able to land at about 50 worldwide---in the next 10 years
A French company loses a deal and it's an international incident. Good reason to avoid these people.
fyi
Who wins in a head to head between a Mirage and an F-16 or F-18?
Are the F's fast enough to catch a retreating Mirage?
Cheese eating surrender monkeys.
Hmmm. Must be part of the vast RW conspiracy, cause the Canadians bought Boeing, too.
http://www.financegates.com/news/business_news/2005-04-27/boeing2704.html
dung.
Check out the Gulf War report cards. We shot down any Iraqi Mirage that came at us.
lets see.. their government essentially is part of airbus - and they are complaining about the u.s. government interfering? Cry me a river.
I am guessing they are trying to make an example object out of idia to other nations.
"France feels that "some factors other than commercial" have influenced the deal."
It's called capitalism. Boeing Good, Airbus Bad.
"Le Cr@p!" LOL
McDonald Douglas used to broker and/or arrange deals
that included stuff as diverse as blueberry harvests, rice,
cotton, shoes, wood, etc. in order to sell planes abroad.
All those guys work for Boeing now.
Girard asserted that the most important advantage of buying fighters from France was reliability. "We value contracts. We never stop supplies in any condition," he said, apparently referring to the US which had imposed halted supplies of several defence items to India after 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests.
---
Translation: If you proliferate or act aggressively against civillians or start wars we will continue to supply your military.
Curious... I thought the USA was the 'evil' country.
Seems like just yesterday they were glowing in their ode to the 'Tower of Babel' or was it the 'Titanic'?
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