3.2 billion euros of Egypt-French arms deal financed by loan from Paris: Sisi

Sunday 01-03-2015 02:06 PM
3.2 billion euros of Egypt-French arms deal financed by loan from Paris: Sisi

A Rafale jet fighter is seen on the assembly line in the factory of French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation in Merignac near Bordeaux, southwestern France, January 10, 2014. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

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CAIRO (Reuters) - The French government loaned Egypt 3.2 billion euros to finance the recent multi billion-euro purchase of French military equipment, Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in an interview on al-Arabiya TV on Saturday.

Egypt signed an agreement this month to buy 5.2 billion euros worth of French weapons, including 24 Rafale combat jets made by Dassault Aviation, a multi-mission naval frigate, and air-to-air missiles.

"The last equipment we got from France was with a French loan worth 3.2 billion euros and this loan was extended from the French government," President Abdel Fatatah al-Sisi said in the interview.

France said at the time the deal was agreed to that more than half the purchase price would be financed by French banks with a state-backed Coface guarantee.

 

(Reporting By Shadi Bushra and Ali Abdelatti; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Steve Orlofsky)

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