Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, also Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, headed to France on Tuesday on an official visit.
Al-Jubair, who was speaking during a press conference with his French counterpart, said that arms agreements with France were among Wednesday’s discussions.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that the ten contracts include 23 Airbus H145 helicopters worth $500 million.
The H145, previously known as the EC145, is a light twin-engine helicopter typically used for emergency services and border patrols.
Fabius also said that Saudi Arabia was planning to sign off on a feasibility study for the construction of two nuclear reactors in the Kingdom with France.
Speaking about the nuclear reactors, Jubair said that Saudi Arabia was keen to acquire advanced technology from France.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the Saudi Defense Ministry was also discussing the price for a contract for French naval patrol boats, built by DCNS.
A source with access to the details of the deal revealed that apart from a billion dollars set aside for direct purchases, the remaining $11 billion are going to take the form of a direct investment and that all deals were negotiated between officials directly without any middlemen.
“The Saudis bought the helicopters because they were reasonably priced but they did decline other offers,” added the source.
Prince Mohammed visit to France comes after his official visit to Russia last week, during which he held talks with President Vladimir Putin and top Russian officials.
Following the meetings, Saudi Arabia signed six agreements with Russia, including one relating to the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
France and Saudi Arabia are tied by a strategic partnership since 1996 that reflects the importance of the relationship between the two countries which was established when King Faisal met with General de Gaulle in 1967.
The Saudi-French ties were further strengthened when King Salman as Crown Prince led a delegation of officials and businessmen to Paris last September. The high-level delegation included Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, who was at that time Minister of State, Cabinet Member and Chief of Crown Prince Court and Special Adviser.
The visit bolstered the spirit of increased bilateral cooperation that was boosted by French President Hollande’s Summit in Riyadh in December in 2013 where the French leader met with the late King Abdullah.
Source: Reuters; Al Arabiya; Saudi Gazette; Photo: AP
