TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The United States immediately stated that it was ready to continue talks on plans to sell stealth fighter jets F-35 and drones to the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi said it would suspend a $23 billion deal.
The deal was signed by President Donald Trump after UEA established ties with Israel last year, but sales progress has slowed amid Washington’s concerns, including over the Gulf Arab state’s relationship with China as a major trading partner.
“The UAE has informed the US that it will suspend discussions to acquire the F-35,” a UAE official told Reuters, Tuesday, December 14, 2021.
The official said talks could be reopened in the future and that there were discussions to “address the defense security situation together”.
In Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said Washington was ready to resume talks over the F-35.
“We want to ensure, for example, that our commitment to Israel’s qualitative military excellence is assured, so we want to ensure that we can conduct a thorough review of any technology that is sold or transferred to other partners in the region, including the UAE,” Blinken said.
MQ-9B Guardian. Credit: NavalDrones
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