DIPLOMACY Some observers question whether the contract between Egypt and France not as cache diplomatic interests …
From the Elysée Dassault, everyone shouts “Cocorico”. France has finally managed to sell Rafale, 24 specifically, to a foreign country, Egypt. “I think this sale to a large Arab country is going to snowball,” welcomed this Friday on RTL CEO of the aircraft manufacturer, Eric Trappier, hearing as well as the contract goes to unlock other. But it is French expertise really the only reason for the Egyptian purchase?
What does Egypt to these planes?
As explained by the economist Laurence Daziano, Egypt needs to protect its borders, battered in the West by the instability in Libya and east by the attacks of jihadist groups.
But the Rafale, although touted for its performance, is it suitable for this kind of missions? “From a credibility standpoint, there was an interest for Egypt to buy these Rafale. But it is not with these planes that the country will fight against armed jihadists Kalashnikovs and knives in the Sinai. We need ground troops, “observes Frédéric Encel geopolitics, author of Geopolitics of the Arab Spring (PUF, 2014). “They [the Egyptians] need a lot of skills that have nothing to do with combat aircraft,” said Michael Wahid Hanna, a specialist in Egyptian security in the Financial Times .
What message Egypt wants to send?
For many experts, we must see in the Egyptian contract a snub to the United States. Because so far, in terms of military weapons, the country has almost always traded with Washington. US F-16 is also the main competitor of the Rafale. “This purchase is a kind of retaliation. Marshal-President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi shows his dissatisfaction with the United States and meets the constant criticism of the latter on the question of the violation of human rights, “says Frédéric Encel.
According to Le Monde , the US administration was still laughing there a few weeks of the threat of Egypt to buy French, saying “there were cheaper ways to manifest his bad mood. “
Why Egypt chose France?
Since the return to military rule, diplomatic relations between Egypt and France are much better than those maintained with the United States. François Hollande has also received last November Al-Sissi President at the Elysee Palace on the occasion of a two-day visit to France.
“France much less critical of Egypt. And the Americans have never really been opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood [to power before the military]. For them, what is important is religion under a democratic regime. However, Al-Sissi is to power through a coup, “notes Frédéric Encel yet.
has Does the France was right to sell aircraft to Egypt?
The attack came on Friday of the patron saint of EELV, Emmanuelle Cosse, who wonders if it is legitimate to sell weapons of war to a country “who did not hesitate to fire on protesters “. For the journalist Pascal Riché, this sale is very irresponsible because Egypt is an “authoritarian regime”. “Who can say today that Egypt will be in a year, ten years, fifty years? These weapons have no expiration date, “he warns in an editorial of The Obs .
For his part, Frédéric Encel recalls that it is” reality of international trade “and that thousands of jobs depend on the arms industry. “The question of which countries must sell weapons and with what degree of respect for human rights is almost philosophical. If we restrict democracies, many are lost. “
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