Malaysia wants EU palm oil ban dropped in exchange for fighter jet purchase

In Malaysia, Edge Markets reports the government is flexing its muscles by making it very clear to France that its future purchase of 18 fighter jets, valued at $2 billion each, will be off the table if the European Union’s proposed palm oil ban for biodiesel goes into effect. The fighter jet deal is still a few years off, but already early stage negotiations are taking place, including with France’s Dassault Aviation and a consortium of Airbus SE, Alenia Aermachhi SA, and United Kingdom-based BAE Systems Plc.