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France goes on arms sales spree in S. America

BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- France is pursuing further arms sales in Latin America after its extensive weapons deal with Brazil and is hoping to persuade Argentina to become its next big customer for military hardware.

French Defense Minister Herve Morin, currently on a Latin American tour, told Argentine government leaders during a visit to the capital France could help the country recapture its pre-eminence through closer military cooperation with Paris. However, French offers of military technology transfers and other assistance were couched in carefully worded statements. Argentina so far has remained noncommittal but has accepted a French offer to send a delegation that will evaluate Argentina's defense needs.

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Analysts said France has been encouraging Argentina to follow the example of Brazil, which has embarked on a multibillion-dollar military modernization program, a major part of it through cooperation with France and purchases from Germany.

Unlike Brazil, which has shown robust economic growth over the past few years and is awash with cash, Argentina's economy has been hit by political bickering and workers' stoppages.

For some years now, the Argentine military has wanted a sweeping modernization of its infrastructure and equipment but has been beaten back by cash shortages.

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Analysts said France appears ready to offer Argentina its military hardware and technology transfers on favorable terms to gain a foothold amid continuing Argentine aversion to rebuilding military ties with the United States.

Morin met with his counterpart Nilda Garre and Foreign Secretary Jorge Taiana and later pronounced that Argentina could muster the political will to mold its regional role into an outward-looking international presence in the same way as Brazil.

Argentine analysts, while acknowledging Morin's reasons for comparisons between Argentina and Brazil, believe France needs to handle Argentine sensitivities with greater care.

Morin praised Brazil as the eighth-largest world economy and highlighted its military regeneration and growing international influence.

Argentina, too, will have to reconsider its international standing and military hardware, "at which stage France can be most useful," said Morin, MercoPress reported.

The Argentine Ministry of Defense in a statement following the meeting indicated that although Argentina did not anticipate the purchase of military hardware, it had agreed to a visit next year by a delegation from France's Defense Ministry Arms Department.

The statement said Argentina is one of the regional countries that have most drastically cut their defense budgets -- from $9.2 billion under military rule in 1980 to $2.8 billion. The earlier figure was equivalent to 4.4 percent of Argentina's gross domestic product, compared with just 0.8 percent of GDP at present.

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However, the Argentine military is keen to find any alternatives to U.S. military cooperation, especially to refurbish aging aircraft and naval vessels, and to find spare parts or substitutes for its existing inventory and replacements for obsolete hardware.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy recently visited Brazil to secure contracts for the supply of aircraft and submarines, including joint construction of a nuclear-powered submarine.

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