Goff will discuss Skyhawk sale hold-up in the US

[Barnsey]

www.stuff.co.nz/4052421a10.html

Goff will discuss Skyhawk sale hold-up in the US
NZPA | Tuesday, 8 May 2007

FLY BUY: Defence Minister Phil Goff is in the US attempting to get things moving on the stalled sale of the air force's mothballed Skyhawks.

Defence Minister Phil Goff will be trying to cut through red tape blocking the sale of the air force's mothballed planes when he travels to the United States tonight.

An American company is buying the Royal New Zealand Air Force's 17 Skyhawks and 17 Aermacchi for $155 million but the deal cannot be finalised until the US government approves the deal, because the planes were originally purchased off it.

Mr Goff said he would discuss the issue with his political counterparts in the US as well as with officials.

"We have got big problems with the slowness in the response of the administration, I think involving both State and Defence Departments in giving clearance for the sale," Mr Goff said.

The problem was not unique to New Zealand, but the Government was selling the planes back to a US company, which was going to use them to train the US air force and other friendly countries' air forces.

"It is unbelievable we have had to wait this long," he said.

The buyer was still keen to complete the purchase, but it was costing the Government millions to keep them in working order.

Mr Goff said it was not a lost cause and maintenance of the planes would continue for the foreseeable future.

The Skyhawks were scrapped in 2001 by the Labour Government when the air force's combat wing was axed.

[corsair67]

Woohoo - and I bet the Americans are shaking in their shoes!

More smoke and mirrors from Labour?

[Bruce]

now, where was that dead horse..... and the whip to flog it with (Sorry... give it "time out")

[corsair67]

;D ;D ;D

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that Phil.

barnsey said:

The Skyhawks were scrapped in 2001 by the Labour Government when the air force's combat wing was axed.

?? Is that a prediction ??

[stu]

www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10439349

US continues to stall RNZAF skyhawks' sale
2:20PM Saturday May 12, 2007 By Greg Tourelle

WASHINGTON - The United States is still blocking the sale of the Air Force's former fighter jets, though the reason has nothing to do with New Zealand's policies, Defence Minister Phil Goff said today.

An American company wants to buy the 17 Skyhawks and 17 Aermacchi jets for $155 million, but the deal cannot be finalised until it has US Government approval.

Mr Goff met US Defence Secretary Robert Gates and the Undersecretary of Defence Eric Edelman at the Pentagon today as well as Assistant Secretary of State Christoper Hill. He was told "internal difficulties" were holding up the approval.

"The US acknowledged the problem of approving the transfer lies on internal difficulties on their side and not with New Zealand. They have undertaken to come back to me on whether these difficulties can be resolved soon or whether we need to look at alternatives."

Mr Goff said he could not disclose what the difficulties were.

"It's an in-house thing and not something they want to discuss readily with others."

He said the US officials appreciated New Zealand's position and had said they would come back to him with a reply.

"They want to check on how they can move forward and whether it will happen quickly or if it might be a number of years, in which case we need to think about our options."

He said selling the aircraft to another country might not be straight-forward, given the limited market for the jets, and would require US approval.

The Skyhawks were shelved when the Government axed the Air Force's combat wing in 2001.

Mr Goff updated Mr Gates and National Security Council adviser Stephen Hadley on his recent visit to Afghanistan.

"New Zealand's contribution alongside the American forces there was warmly welcomed and we were thanked for the contribution we were making. I think it is widely regarded the provincial reconstruction team we have there is a model for other international forces."

He also discussed world security and the nuclear weapons situation for Iran and North Korea.

"The common ground since September 11, the impact that had on the world's security has made it a lot of sense to work together on common interests, and examples of that joint approach include Afghanistan and against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

Mr Goff also held trade talks in Washington before leaving tonight for London and then Paris, where he will take part in the annual OECD ministerial meeting and participate in World Trade Organisation ministerial talks.

- NZPA

Once again our politicians achieve absolutely nothing and come away crowing about a great victory while the US government looks up New Zealand on a map.

Kind of a "don't call us, we'll call you" scenario .....