By Sophie Hardach
PARIS, Jan 19 (Reuters) - France sold 6.3 billion euros ($8.28 billion) worth of arms in 2008 and aims to sign more deals this year to catch up with Britain, Defence Minister Herve Morin said on Monday.
Morin has at times expressed frustration at France's failure to find a foreign buyer for Dassault Aviation's high-tech Rafale fighter, which was put on the market several years ago.
But in his New Year's address, he said France had not only exceeded its target of 6 billion euros worth of deals for 2008, from 5.5 billion in 2007, but was raising the bar for this year.
"We want to do better in 2009," he told hundreds of uniformed men and women of all ranks during a New Year's ceremony at the Air and Space Museum. "I can assure you that we will reach the same level as our British friends."
In 2007, Britain was the world's biggest arms seller with $19 billion in new business, accounting for a third of global arms exports, government data showed last year. The figure was boosted by orders for Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Saudi Arabia, the world's top arms buyer.
Arms sales figures are notoriously volatile and unreliable, since deals stretch over several years and orders may be cancelled for political or budgetary reasons.
However, Morin struck a confident note, emphasising the political aspect of global arms deals.
"I can assure you that I will continue to travel around the world to defend our industrial gems: this will always be one of my priorities," he said.
France, traditionally a major weapons seller, simplified and accelerated its export procedures to boost sales after buyers shunned the Rafale in favour of less expensive models, such as U.S. F-16s, made by Lockheed Martin.
In 2007, Saudi Arabia was France's main client, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Spain and the United States.
(Editing by Michael Roddy)
(sophie.hardach@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 4949 5188) ($1=.7606 Euro)