France should have honored its Mistral deal with Russia instead of signing an arms deal with Qatar to deliver Rafale fighter jets, French news website AgoraVox reported.
The cancel of the Mistral deal with Russia is ridiculous, especially since France agreed to supply Rafal fighter jets to Qatar, the country suspected of supporting Islamic radicalism, AgoraVox said. The news website also added that the Mistral deal failure showed irrationality and contradiction of French diplomacy.
Now France is at wits' end, trying to find the best way to let Paris to save its face after the embarrassing situation with the failed arms deal. It was reported that France wanted to deconstruct the two ships and re-sell them to third parties. However, Russia said France cannot do that, citing a specific contract clause that prohibits the re-export of arms deals. Meanwhile, the two helicopter carriers are berthed at the port in Saint-Nazaire. The upkeep and maintenance of the ships is costing French tax payers an astonishing 5 million euros per month.
![The Mistral-Class Helicopter Carrier The Mistral-Class Helicopter Carrier - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101853/46/1018534661_0:0:998:701_600x0_80_0_0_25f0bee730afca3d58d7c21776393eac.png)