Posted on 05/08/2005 9:29:13 PM PDT by Srirangan
7 May 2005: Relations with France have taken a nose-dive after Air India opted for fifty Boeings to augment its fleet discarding competition Airbus, and the country may back out of supporting India’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat with veto powers.
Yesterday, French ambassador Dominique Girard was slammed by foreign secretary Shyam Saran for saying to the press that “We are surprised and disappointed. Airbus definitely has an advantage over Boeing…It is clear that some factors other than commercial have played a role.”
Previously, Air India was going for a mix of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, but it became all Boeing after the UPA came to power and Praful Patel of the NCP became civil aviation minister, and Air India now plans to buy eight Boeing 777-200LRs, fifteen Boeing 777-300ER, and twenty-seven Boeing 787s, for nearly $7 billion.
Diplomats said that France found no play with the UPA, and efforts at raising bilateral relations to strategic level were blocked by foreign minister Natwar Singh, who peculiarly explained that India was cultivating ties with the European Union as a whole, which the French found “meaningless”.
What galled them, according to diplomats, was a feeling that India did not adequately reciprocate France’s declared friendship by being among the first P-5 states to support India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council with veto power.
“Despite French insistence that the US was an unreliable ally,” said a diplomat, “India preferred the US somewhat blindly, and if the Americans are unreliable with us, they are going to be very unreliable with you. Those Boeings are not going to come in time for Air India to take commercial advantage, and it would be foolhardy to choose the F-16 over the Mirage.”
But the denial of the Air India deal has come as a breaking point for France, which diplomats say is reviewing support to India’s candidature as a permanent UN Security Council member, and it will likely now insist on a consensus for any expansion of the Council and its permanent members, and will lean in support of the Chinese position on this and other issues.
Original Article
Its a dirty game... hook/crook/book.. you do what it takes.
Typical French. You could never trust them to have your back..ever.
"the Americans are unreliable with us (i.e. the French)..."!!!!!
The French perspective has lost total touch with reality. They have gone totally round the bend and are now operating in the Ga-Ga Land of the certifiably insane.
If I were ANY nation, I would re-think my diplomatic and commercial relations with the French. How can you trust a nation of loons?
Can anyone explain this delusion to me?
What does an airline buying Boeing's or Airbus' got to do with UNSC is something I won't ever understand.
"But the denial of the Air India deal has come as a breaking point for France, which diplomats say is reviewing support to India’s candidature as a permanent UN Security Council member, and it will likely now insist on a consensus for any expansion of the Council and its permanent members, and will lean in support of the Chinese position on this and other issues."
And many liberals here in the U.S. imagine that France has a foriegn policy based on deep moral principles. Ha!
Yup, Airbus has the advantage massive government subsidies allowing lower price and protection from law suits.
Maybe India thinks quality matters more.
I like that comment! :) France is doing India a favor - screw the U.N. anyway!
An overblown but badly bruised ego can twist minds into utter insanity.
It's a bribery confession, pure and simple.
Besides, only stupid people build airplanes made of bad French plastic that fall apart while being flown, and only stupid people buy them.
Did I say stupid French?
True indeed.
This probably isn't the best way for the French to get India to buy their shitty fighters.
Maybe they saw an article on the quality of the French "Super Aircraft Carrier."
What does an airline buying Boeing's or Airbus' got to do with UNSC is something I won't ever understand.
Blackmail is the relationship.
Well I bet the US won't back Germany either.
Sure! The Frogs are nucking futs.
LOL... I think you've got it!
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