Originally posted by sbst275:
[b]French minister queries Asia bribe case
leaks
SINGAPORE, March 1 (AFP) - French Defence Minister Michele
Alliot-Marie raised questions Tuesday over "leaks" about a bribery
case involving a Singaporean allegedly claiming to represent
European aerospace giant EADS.
Alliot-Marie told journalists at the end of a brief visit, during
which she urged Singapore to buy the French-made Rafale in an
imminent fighter supply contract, that she was surprised by "leaks"
about the bribery case.
"My visit had been planned a long time ago and actually we were all
very surprised by the leaks and we were wondering about what's at
stake, what is the interest of these leaks," she said.
The minister, who flew to Singapore from Yemen for a hectic
five-hour
visit, said her trip was "not at all" connected to the EADS
case.
Alliot-Marie met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Defence Minister
Teo Chee Hean and Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan, the coordinating
minister for security and defence, to discuss military
cooperation.
She said she discussed the fighter issue with the Singapore
officials. The Rafale is competing with the US-made Boeing F-15 and
the Eurofighter Typhoon, manufactured by the European Aeronautic
Defence and Space Company (EADS).
EADS, partly owned by the French government, last week said it had
no association with a man who was charged with trying to bribe a
Singaporean official for information about an earlier naval
helicopter deal.
The helicopter deal was eventually won by a US contractor.
Eng Heng Chiaw, 46, was charged last week with offering a defence
ministry official SGD 500,000 Singapore dollars (EUR 233,100) to
secure tender details about an EADS competitor.
Alliot-Marie reiterated Tuesday that "EADS management expressed a
wish to have an inquiry very quickly on these rumours and these
leaks."
"The EADS really wants an investigation to be conducted because
they do not know who has an interest in setting up these
accusations against them," the French minister said.
The contract in question was for six naval helicopters and was
awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. from the United States.
A copy of the charge sheet said Eng wanted information "about the
price offered by the competitor in a naval helicopter project so
that a company, European Aeronatics Defence and Space (EADS) SEA
P/L, could price its offer to secure the said project." -
AFP[/b]
hmmm.. this may changes everything, if really bribery then
mindef may need to uphold the image of being squeaky clean
procurement system no?
This smacks of james bond intrigue, the whole thing looks as though
it has the finger prints of the CIA all over it.
maybe the rafale is really unbeatable and the yanks try to torpedo
the deal and get their spooks to dress up as wine guzzling french
arms dealers and try to bribe our ppl.
don't worry folks I was ask nathan to look into the matter.
