Qatar nears talks to buy Rafales

Qatar could firm up its interest in buying French Rafale fighter planes.
The contract is of vital importance for Dassault and the French government.
Dassault has had difficulty in selling the aircraft abroad, despite successful high-profile combat missions in Libya and Mali.
Qatar Emir might announce during his visit to Paris that Qatar have opted for the Rafale and would open exclusive talks with Dassault Aviation.
Negotiations would last about a year but the contract would be less complex than one signed with India.
France, which expects to slow down the rate of production of the planes owing to a lack of export orders, and Qatar resumed talks on the matter in March.
In March, the head of Dassault Aviation, Eric Trappier, said that the company had reached an understanding with India on how to organise construction of the plane in India. India began exclusive talks with Dassault in January 2012, for the purchase of 126 fighters.
gulfnews