Foreign Minister: Poland still interested in 'smaller' Airbus deal
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
31.10.2016 13:49
Poland has sent a letter to France indicating it is still interested in discussing a deal with Airbus Helicopters for the purchase of military aircraft.
Airbus Helicopters Caracal. Photo: WIkimedia CommonsAirbus Helicopters Caracal. Photo: WIkimedia Commons
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said on Monday that he had sent a letter to his French counterpart with a “new offer of cooperation”.
The letter says that Poland is willing to work with France on issues such as the purchase of helicopters for the Polish Armed Forces.
Waszczykowski added that Poland is still interested in making a deal for Caracal-model aircraft with France's Airbus Helicopters, but for fewer than the 50 machines which were earlier discussed.
He said that the letter, sent to French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, “discusses the areas in which we can cooperate, including the purchase of Caracal helicopters, because the Army still needs helicopters [...] merely in a smaller numbers”.
The previous PO-led government rejected offers to supply 50 military helicopters from domestically-based manufacturers in favour of France-based Airbus Helicopters, a decision which was criticised in by the ruling PiS party.
Poland had been negotiating the purchase of 50 Caracal-model helicopters from Airbus worth PLN 13.5 bln (EUR 3.2 billion) when the Development Ministry called off the deal in early October, calling it "pointless".
The failure of the deal resulted in diplomatic tensions between France and Poland, with French President Francois Hollande postponing a visit to Warsaw. (rg)