Yamamah : panique et mobilisation

La mobilisation générale est lancée dans l’industrie britannique de l’armement. L’affaire du scandale Yamamah bouleverse l’industrie autant qu’elle secoue le gouvernement britannique.

The Independent d’aujourd’hui nous donne quelques précisions sur la situation :

«Britain's biggest defence companies are writing to the Government to warn that tens of thousands of jobs and orders worth billions of pounds are at risk unless a fraud investigation into an arms contract between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia is resolved soon.

»The letter from the chief executive of Rolls-Royce, Sir John Rose, acting in his capacity as chairman of the Defence Industries Council, is due to go to the Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling today or tomorrow.

»Concern is growing among UK defence executives that the Saudis will cancel a £10bn order for Eurofighter Typhoon jets if the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office is not brought to a conclusion soon. There are fears the order may instead go to the French, who are attempting to sell the Rafale to the Saudis.

»The DIC represents hundreds of UK firms but its leading members are BAE, Rolls, the warship builder VT, Qinetiq, Thales and the helicopter manufacturer Agusta Westland.»

Mis en ligne le 4 décembre 2006 à 09H19