France sells 2 Mistral warships to Egypt
PARIS (AP) — France says it is selling two Mistral class warships originally intended for Russia to Egypt instead.
In a statement today, the French president’s office said Egypt would buy both ships. No price was given.
France agreed to refund 950 million euros ($1 billion) already paid by Russia after Paris canceled the sale, which was supposed to be the biggest arms sale ever by a NATO country to Russia but was detailed by the Ukrainian crisis.
Egypt also purchased 24 advanced fighter jets from France earlier this year for nearly $6 billion, as it sought international help to bomb Islamic State targets.
Mistral-class warships can carry 16 helicopter gunships, 700 troops and up to 50 armored vehicles.
Burkina Faso president back in power
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — The interim president overthrown in a coup last week in Burkina Faso says he’s now back in power.
President Michel Kafando is expected to lead the West African country until new elections can be held.
Gen. Gilbert Diendere and his supporters had launched the ultimately unsuccessful coup less than a month before elections to choose a new president.
Burkina Faso’s army had stepped up the pressure on Diendere and his mutinous soldiers to cede power, threatening to disarm them by force if necessary.
The military said today it had reached an agreement with other members of Diendere’s force overnight.
West African mediators from the regional bloc ECOWAS also had been pressuring Diendere.
Libya parties urged to grasp peace deal
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is urging Libya’s warring factions to grasp the opportunity of a new peace deal and is promising massive backing once a unity government is formed.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said today that the parties “are now really in the last mile” and must take their responsibilities and bring an end to a year of crisis.
She said the EU stands “ready from day zero to support, financially and in all possible ways they would wish.”
Libya is divided between an Islamist-backed government in Tripoli and an internationally recognized leadership based in the east.
The U.N. envoy to Libya said Tuesday that he has presented the factions with a final draft of a peace deal and urged all parties to accept it.
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