UAE not seeking to resume F-35 talks with US irrespective of election outcome

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) doesnotexpect to resume talks with the USabout a multi-billion dollar deal for F-35 warplanes, irrespective of who is elected to the White House in November, a seniorUAEgovernment official said on Saturday.

Reuters reported on Friday that theUAEwasplanning to resume negotiations to purchase F-35s and armed drones if Donald Trump wins a second presidential term, according to several people familiar with the matter.

Trump had signed off on a deal to allow the purchase to go ahead in the final days of his presidency in 2021, but theUAEsuspended talks at the end of that year, unable to agree terms with the Biden administration.

TheUAEhas long sought the most advanced fighter jet, built with stealth technology allowing it to evade enemy detection.

If the US did approve the transfer, theUAEwould be only the second Middle East state, after Israel, to operate F-35s.

TheUAEofficial said on Saturday the same factors that caused it to suspend the talks in 2021 havenotchanged and the governmentdoesnotplanto re-open negotiations.

"Our position remains unchanged and we donotanticipate discussions regarding the F-35 being reopened for the foreseeable future, irrespective of the outcome of the upcomingUSelections," the seniorUAEofficial said in a statement to Reuters.

"Technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions and cost/benefit analysis led to the reassessment at that time, and those considerations underpin our ongoing position."

The official didnotcomment on the possibility of fresh talks to purchase armed drones.

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