Opinion from french posters, Mistral warship deal.

[fumblz]

I figured that since a good deal of the posters here are from and around Europe, that there is a good chance that there are some of you who are citizens of France and would like your opinion.

Now, I'm sure you know about the ordeal going on between Ukraine and Russia atm. So I was wondering, what is your opinion of the mistral deal. Are you for or against the deal, and what is the general opinion of it?

Please, keep the discussion civil.

[Baneth]

Huh, weird. cannot find any articles on their opinion. Maybe they dont care or dont think its that big a deal.

[nextormento]

I'm cool with the first vessel. Next one... we'll see how the embargo goes, I guess.

[Korgoth]

How poor is France these days that they can't back out of a sale?

If it is that big of a deal have NATO cover the cost. Its only a couple B. Maybe send the ships to the Brits. I hear they don't even have enough of a Navy to give their Queen a proper birthday celebration.

[fumblz]

How poor is France these days that they can't back out of a sale?

If it is that big of a deal have NATO cover the cost. Its only a couple B. Maybe send the ships to the Brits. I hear they don't even have enough of a Navy to give their Queen a proper birthday celebration.

I just found this article. Might be a little old, but apparently french diplomats and politicians are discussing the option of having EU buy out the contracts from russia, or even sell them to NATO.

http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-sancti...russia-1647858

[lookperfection]

What is the deal about? I have not known it before.

[Noomz]

I figured that since a good deal of the posters here are from and around Europe, that there is a good chance that there are some of you who are citizens of France and would like your opinion.

Now, I'm sure you know about the ordeal going on between Ukraine and Russia atm. So I was wondering, what is your opinion of the mistral deal. Are you for or against the deal, and what is the general opinion of it?

Please, keep the discussion civil.

I haven't heard of this Mistral deal. Could you please enlighten those of us that haven't?

[Deleted]

I haven't heard of this Mistral deal. Could you please enlighten those of us that haven't?

France is selling two mistral ships (someone else would have to give you details on actual ships, some helicopter carrier I think?) To Russia. A deal signed up ages ago.
The French government cannot cut the deal without being subject to penalties and French economy as it stands really can't take such a hit.
Many including the USA and the uk (I think?) Are pushing for the deal to be scrapped but that can't happen. Hollande is in a dodgy spot and such a move would cause a revolution in France.

I personally find the whole thing extremely hypocritical seeing how weapons are sold and bought to and from many dodgy places that are way way worst than Russia.

[Deleted]

How poor is France these days that they can't back out of a sale?

If it is that big of a deal have NATO cover the cost. Its only a couple B. Maybe send the ships to the Brits. I hear they don't even have enough of a Navy to give their Queen a proper birthday celebration.

Our navy is more than big enough. We also don't buy ships of others. we make our own. That is something that wont ever change.

Its also not NATO/EU job to bail the french out of the economic shit..

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France is selling two mistral ships (someone else would have to give you details on actual ships, some helicopter carrier I think?) To Russia. A deal signed up ages ago.
The French government cannot cut the deal without being subject to penalties and French economy as it stands really can't take such a hit.
Many including the USA and the uk (I think?) Are pushing for the deal to be scrapped but that can't happen. Hollande is in a dodgy spot and such a move would cause a revolution in France.

I personally find the whole thing extremely hypocritical seeing how weapons are sold and bought to and from many dodgy places that are way way worst than Russia.

All the US/EU will inevitably do is push Russia closer to China.

[Puri]

Many including the USA and the uk (I think?) Are pushing for the deal to be scrapped but that can't happen.

The UK itself is still exporting weapons worth more than hundred million of pounds to russia. They won't say anything.

So far only Germany seems to revoke existing arms deals with Russia, and is not only revising arms deals to come.

So you can see how Putin must be worried because of all those sanctions...

[Deleted]

Bussiness men gotta bussiness.

[Noomz]

France is selling two mistral ships (someone else would have to give you details on actual ships, some helicopter carrier I think?) To Russia. A deal signed up ages ago.
The French government cannot cut the deal without being subject to penalties and French economy as it stands really can't take such a hit.
Many including the USA and the uk (I think?) Are pushing for the deal to be scrapped but that can't happen. Hollande is in a dodgy spot and such a move would cause a revolution in France.

I personally find the whole thing extremely hypocritical seeing how weapons are sold and bought to and from many dodgy places that are way way worst than Russia.

Ah, I see. That sounds very complicated. If the US and UK want them to cut the deal, they'd have to help France deal with the losses from that.

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Our navy is more than big enough. We also don't buy ships of others. we make our own. That is something that wont ever change.

Its also not NATO/EU job to bail the french out of the economic shit..

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All the US/EU will inevitably do is push Russia closer to China.

Assuming China wants to get closer to Russia when they have more benefits from being close to the US and the EU. I reckon China values a kind of neutrality on the matter, because of their dependance on the west for their export. The Chinese economy is a brittle thing.

[Deleted]

Ah, I see. That sounds very complicated. If the US and UK want them to cut the deal, they'd have to help France deal with the losses from that.

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Assuming China wants to get closer to Russia when they have more benefits from being close to the US and the EU. I reckon China values a kind of neutrality on the matter, because of their dependance on the west for their export. The Chinese economy is a brittle thing.

Well it's not easy as there is another problem. France has always followed their own foreign policies. Such a humiliating solution would never be accepted by the public.
China and Russia have plenty to share, what is happening now is not good especially from an European point of view.

[Rukentuts]

China and Russia have plenty to share, what is happening now is not good especially from an European point of view.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...tners_of_China

Yeah EU is totally scared.

[Deleted]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...tners_of_China

Yeah EU is totally scared.

It's pretty clear the EU is scared of doing too much. Little sanctions and an unstable economy. Analysts all over the world have debated on how damaging this scenario could be for Europe.
If you add on top of this the way major European businesses have been extremely vocal against sanctions, yes well, tell us exactly that.

[fumblz]

I haven't heard of this Mistral deal. Could you please enlighten those of us that haven't?

Basically, France had agreed to a deal to build and sell 2 Mistral-class amphibious assault ships for Russia, as well as train their military in the ability to use the ships. Which was and is the biggest military contract between EU and Russia in history, worth a couple billion dollars.

Fast forward to the present and now you have the whole Ukraine/Russia conflict and the US/EU as well as Baltic states want France to scrap the deal, for fears that it would be used in their conflicts around the Baltics/future Russian interests.

HOWEVER, if France were to back out of the deal now, they face millions of dollars in fines not to mention a loss of ship builders jobs in a time when France's economy is in a dire situation. As well as look like they don't honor their deals to any future buyers. Their has been a few talks about selling the ships to EU/buying out the deal/NATO buys it, but really there hasn't been much talk about it.

[Deleted]

How poor is France these days that they can't back out of a sale?

Nobody will trust France if they nullifier the agreement, it set a dangerous precedent. But fear not Russia will not use the ship fore long after the initial batch of spare parts is used up.

[fumblz]

Nobody will trust France if they nullifier the agreement, it set a dangerous precedent. But fear not Russia will not use the ship fore long after the initial batch of spare parts is used up.

I wouldn't say nobody. Will it hurt their image? Most likely, but at the same time I can imagine that others can understand WHY they would cancel the deal.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't say nobody. Will it hurt their image? Most likely, but at the same time I can imagine that others can understand WHY they would cancel the deal.

The only reason would be foreign pressure. That would make France a very unreliable trading partner.

[fumblz]

The only reason would be foreign pressure. That would make France a very unreliable trading partner.

OR you know... perhaps the fact that Russia doesn't respect the sovereignty of other countries trying to find a future with EU? That instead of respecting the decisions of another sovereign nation, they send in unmarked soldiers to cause unrest and instability until they get what they want?

Don't get me wrong, I don't want France to stop the sale and hurt their economy even more. I just am against the idea of putting weapons into the hands of a psychopath/warmonger.