Macron says Paris, Riyadh ‘willing’ to progress fighter jet sales.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France and Saudi Arabia intend to “move forward” on a deal to sell Rafale fighter jets to the oil-rich Gulf kingdom.

“In terms of security and defence, we have very clearly improved things… with the desire to move forward on the Rafale, which is a big part of the bilateral relationship,” he told reporters on the second day of the official visit. There is change.” Saudi Arabia.

Talks were already under way for Riyadh to acquire French-made jets, and while no final announcement was expected during the official visit, sources close to the matter indicated a willingness to “make a decision” in that direction. gave

About 10 countries, including Egypt, Qatar, India, Greece, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Croatia and Serbia, already have Rafale jets or have signed commercial agreements to acquire them.

Macron also said the two countries had “made progress on everything from naval defense to air defense and satellites”, adding that Saudi Arabia and France had signed “some long-awaited agreements”, without elaborating. have done”.

Riyadh buys military equipment from several Western countries, where it faces criticism for its human rights record and military intervention in Yemen.

A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in 2015 to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government after Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa a year ago and captured most of the country’s population centers. .

The war in Yemen has killed millions of people and is one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Fighting has decreased significantly since a six-month cease-fire was negotiated by the United Nations in April 2022. Macron’s visit to Saudi Arabia is the first by a French president since Jacques Chirac in 2006, reinforcing what the presidency says is “very close.” relationship”