Airbus chief executive officer Tom Enders refused all comment on the A400M airlifter here yesterday as talks to continue the troubled project reached a critical stage in Europe. Defense procurement ministers from the eight European customer nations are to meet again today for the third time in as many weeks to discuss their negotiating position. Enders previously said he would seek permission from the EADS executive board to stop work on the project if no way forward was apparent to the company by last Monday.
The UK has made it clear that no more money is on the table, but a slightly reduced buy is acceptable, according to a senior British officer who spoke to AIN here in Singapore on Monday. But the big question is whether the other partner nations will hold to that line. Germany–the biggest customer–has also adopted a tough stance, while France and Spain are thought more likely to agree to additional funds. A deal may be done over the heads of the defense ministers by French President Nicholas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who also meet today.
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