France denied arms deal with Israel

The French defense ministry yesterday denied its intention to sign a large contract for armament with Israel, as stated by the Israeli daily Haartez on Monday.

The Israeli paper, however, said that France and Israel are preparing to sign a huge contract in the field of armament, according to which the Israeli aviation factories ensure expertise to France to produce pilot-less military planes, prepared for exports.

The spokesman for the French ministry of defense Jan Francois Boro said that " such a contract does not exist." He explained during his daily meeting with the press at the headquarters of the ministry of defense that it is possible, in the course of the program to display " Euromel" pilot-less plane, declared by the minister of defense Michael Mary on Monday at the International Weapons Fair the " IADS" group, the founder of the project might sign a contract with the Israeli aviation factories to get engines if it finds this necessary.

He added that " The Israeli aviation factories has a long experience in pilot-less planes, adding in case the Israeli group proposed an engine this does not means there is a "program of co-operation with the Israelis."