Aerospatiale-Matra Missiles, a subsidiary of the new European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company, confirmed Wednesday it had a contract to supply missiles to an Asian country, but refused to disclose the client or the financial terms of the deal.
The client country had demanded "the greatest secrecy" about the order, an Aerospatiale-Matra Missiles spokesman told AFP. Asked whether the order was from Taiwan, the spokesman declined to comment.
The contract was for sea-to-sea missiles, "among others," he said.
The French company's announcement confirmed a report Wednesday by the Israeli daily Haaretz which said that Aerospatiale-Matra had won a contract from an Asian country that had been sought by the Israeli state-owned Israeli Aircraft Industries and privately owned Rafael.
Haaretz did not name the Asian country concerned.
The newspaper said the deal was for shipborne missiles and was worth $700 million (€787 million).]
But the Aerospatiale-Matra Missiles spokesman said that his company's contract was less than the reported $700 million because other suppliers were involved in the deal. - (AFP)
© Agence France Presse 2000
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
