Jacko wrote:-
I'd be cautious about believing that it's gone that far. Wouldn't we expect Oman to be a Government-to-Government deal like Saudi - done via DESO as was, rather than BAE?
The FT article does include the following statements (my italics):-
The sources said that BAE had been talking directly to the Omani government about the sale without using external advisers. The group’s use of middlemen formed part of an investigation into allegations – always denied by BAE – that bribery was used to secure a deal to sell arms and aircraft to Saudi Arabia in the 1980s.
Any agreement would be structured as a government-to-government contract, similar to last year’s deal to sell Typhoons to Saudi Arabia.
Presumably the above would indicate that the discussions still have some considerable way to run before pen meets paper...