- Title: AIR SHOW-FRANCE/HOLLANDE France's Hollande visits Paris Air Show
- Date: 15th June 2015
- Summary: LE BOURGET, FRANCE (JUNE 15, 2015) (AGENCY POOL) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE ARRIVING AT PARIS AIR SHOW HOLLANDE SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS, ACCOMPANIED BY FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER JEAN-YVES LE DRIAN VARIOUS OF HOLLANDE VISITING FAIR HOLLANDE VISITING FAIR HOLLANDE AND OFFICIALS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT,
- Embargoed: 30th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA3NDK6IFMAGBOAWZ8THR7W09TL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French President Francois Hollande visited the Paris Air Show on its opening day on Monday (June 15), saying he was hopeful the success French aeronautical sector enjoyed recently would support job creation in the country.
Accompanied by French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Francois Hollande gave an optimistic speech on the state of the French aircraft industry.
"The aeronautical sector created 10,000 jobs last year, and we hope to do almost the same in 2015. When we announce deals, there is usually a pretty long time gap between the moment when the decision is taken and the moment when jobs are created, but I had confirmation that we will have, in 2015, 2016 and 2017, a lot of job creations thanks to the deals we concluded," he said.
France has this year already concluded deals for jets to Egypt and Qatar and is finalising a contract in India. It is currently in talks with the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.
"We have high expectations regarding the commercial success of the Rafale, but also about other operations, you saw that I came here with the Airbus A350, and we have also here great commercial expectations with this plane," the French president said.
As France will host alter this year a global climate conference, Hollande also highlighted the progress made in terms of fuel savings by Airbus' A350 aircraft.
"We are on the eve of the climate conference, and we could say that aeronautics as they are displayed here and climate are not related matters, but it is all but the contrary. Aeronautics is a business that allows to make a lot of saves, the plane that I took, the Airbus A350, is an aircraft that allows to make from 25 to 30% of fuel savings," he said.
Hollande also met French aircraft magnate Serge Dassault at the fair, whose Falcon 2000LX F-HLXS jets are on display.
The Paris Air Show, which is held every two years, is the oldest and the largest air show in the world. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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