A sale has
finally been struck and after four years New Zealand's Skyhawks are
off to a new home.
One News can reveal the planes have been sold to an American
company but the deal is so top secret Prime Minister Helen Clark
claims she did not even know about it.
When asked about the multi million dollar deal, Clark said she had not had a briefing and did not know if they had been sold.
Clark then
came back within an hour with a statement saying that officials had
come to an agreement..
"I understand negotiations have gone very well and that officials
have been able to conclude a heads of agreement but that has to
come up to the cabinet and I'll be in a position to accept that as
a late paper for monday," Clark said.
One news understands both the Skyhawk and Aermacchi training aircraft have been sold to an American pilot training company.
Clark says
there has been interest from the US and from elsewhere, and
said the government should be in a position to announce that
on Monday.
Details of the sale are still secret but Clark says received at
least $100 million for the planes.
She says there will have to be other costs coming off which could be close to $10 million.