Egypt has sold its PCBs to Russia, says Macierewicz. Info or intox?
(B2) This is the latest find from the Polish Minister of Defence, Antoni Macierewicz, never stingy with a low blow, Egypt would have sold its Mistral BPCs to Russia for $1. This " information lame had been running for several days. The minister took it up on his own and officially confirmed it at the Polish Diet last Thursday (20 October), responding to one of the deputies of the national representation.
« It is true that the Mistrals were sold to Egypt. And it is true that in recent days they have been de facto transferred to the Russian Federation for one dollar. This operation actually took place. And its relationship with [the sale of helicopters] Caracal justifies the [referral] to the Central Anti-corruption Office [which will take place] soon. I assure you there will be a nice explanation as to who was in charge within the state.” See it declaration (Polish *)
Information that deserves details
The minister did not want to detail this information, but he confirmed to our colleagues from Polish television that he " a very good source ”... If this information is really attested, the Polish Minister of Defense should say more, if only out of solidarity with his NATO allies. This transaction is not insignificant and could indeed change the deal on European security. If this information is false, he must deny it quickly. Letting such allegations run on the strength of a mere rumor is really not very serious and not worthy of a Minister of Defense of one of the countries which is not the least in Eastern Europe, and whose reliability had, until now, been spotless.
A danger for the Polish reputation if the information is false
If the minister persists in saying nothing and the information turns out to be totally or grossly false (which seems to be the case), it would represent a very serious discredit for the government in Warsaw. And a long-term danger to Polish security. By dint of howling at the wolf, when the latter is not there... when the wolf is really there, no one will take seriously the declarations of Macierewicz, who already does not really have much credit with the various European allies of the Alliance.
Big nothing
According to several sources consulted by B2, the information from the Polish Minister of Defense is indeed "original", "ridiculous", "total nonsense".... You can add all the adjectives you want. I found no one to give me even the smallest beginning of confirmation. Basically, the information would be totally "bogus" to the point that one wonders if the minister did not allow himself to be intoxicated by his own services for one purpose: to discredit him. Even on the side of the Polish diplomats, we pass on the hot potato: “check with the ministry” said one of them to me. This one consulted by me (by email) has not yet seen fit to answer me...
Look for logic?
Indeed, when we know the Egyptians, we can wonder what interest they would have in reselling for $1 ships acquired against cold hard cash ... while they are in the process of completing the training of their crews (1) and to complete the equipment of these aircraft carriers and that this equipment constitutes for them a qualitative leap compared to their neighbors (Israelis, Gulf, Turkey, etc.). These types of decisions are not taken lightly.
A few points to clarify
The choice of Egypt approved by Moscow
Certainly Russia is watching over the fire of BPC Mistral - renowned Gamal abdel nasser et Anwar Sadat in honor of the two Egyptian presidents — . The sale in Cairo was indeed authorized by the Russians. They did not want this equipment, ordered by Russia and partly financed by them (even if there was a reimbursement of the sums + compensation) to benefit a country which they would not have approved or which prove contrary to their strategic interests. Egypt, which has a balanced policy of military purchases (from Americans, Europeans, Russians) thus meets their criteria.
Helicopter supply
The Russians should also equip the two ships with helicopters. Cairo called on Russia to equip their ships... with Ka-52 helicopters (Hokum B in NATO nomenclature), Anatoly Punchuk, deputy director of Russian military and technical cooperation (FSMTC), said Thursday (October 18). ), according to the agency Sputnik. The sale of ships by France did not, in fact, include the supply of helicopters. There is also a certain logic there since the Russians had already studied the installation of these ships which had been adapted for these devices.
A broken contract after mature hesitations
From there to say that these ships belong to the Russians. It is a step that cannot be taken. For Paris, this would certainly constitute a breach of contract. The BPC Mistral contract for the Russians — they were then called the Sevastopol and Vladivostok — had been broken off by the French, after several months of hesitation. A carefully considered decision, and on strategic considerations. " It was difficult to give the Russians such equipment that they could use in their various activities [including intimidation] or operations explains a source familiar with the matter.
Significant pressures
Paris had then been under a lot of pressure, particularly from the Americans (read: Between Obama and Holland, an air of Mistral...) but also several allies (Nordic, Eastern), worried about seeing such equipment sold to the Russians in the midst of the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine. And the decision announced just before the NATO summit in Wales (read: The sale of the Mistral to Russia is suspended (Fr. Hollande)). To see the sale of helicopters to Poland as the only cause is rather to overestimate this factor (even if it undoubtedly played a role) in a decision which is above all political and in kind with the solidarity between the Allies.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
* translated by us
(1) The handover ceremony for the second ship took place in mid-September. And Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, the great architect of this sale to Egypt, was in Cairo at the end of September to celebrate this event. And the first two crews of the two BPCs Gamal abdel nasser et Anouar-El-Sadat have just completed their training in Saint Nazaire.
Read also:
- An agreement on Vladivostok and Sevastopol. The end of a Franco-Russian flirtation*
- The 3 conditions for delivering the Mistral (Fr. Holland). The cost of non-delivery*
- The Vladivostok (aka the Russian Mistral) will not join its client. Warsaw satisfied?*
- Does the Mistral delivered to Russia have lead in the wing?*
- The construction and delivery of Mistral ships continues, despite everything (Fr. Hollande)*
And on the blog:
