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By Alistair Smout
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's new defence minister will meet with counterparts from Japan and Italy next week to discuss a joint fighter jet programme, as the new Labour government stressed its importance even as it declined to commit to it ahead of a defence review.
The three countries in December signed an international treaty to set up the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) - the first major defence industry collaboration merging the separate next-generation fighter efforts of the countries.
The programme could be opened up to others at a later stage, Italy's defence minister said in January, with the likes of Saudi Arabia possible contenders to join the project.
But there has been speculation that Britain's Labour Party, which won a July 4 election, might not recommit to the programme in light of a review it announced this week into its armed forces, which will report back in the first half of 2025.
"GCAP is an important programme and positive progress continues with our partners, Japan and Italy. The Defence Secretary is due to hold a ministerial meeting with GCAP counterparts next week," a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said on Friday.
"As well as cutting-edge military technology, the programme is delivering significant economic benefits across the UK. The Strategic Defence Review will be wide-ranging, looking at the threats Britain faces and the capabilities we need to tackle them."
Luke Pollard, a junior defence minister, on Thursday said GCAP was "really important" but declined to commit it, saying he wanted George Robertson, the former NATO secretary general who is leading the review, to be free to consider all options without being pressured towards certain programmes.
"It's not right for me to prejudge what might happen in the defence review. We need cutting edge capabilities... We need to make sure that when we're procuring systems... that we need to keep our country and allies safe, that we do in the most cost effective way," Pollard said at an industry event.
"Robertson's review is about making those decisions differently. It should not be about ministers saying you can do a review but by the way, I'm going to tell you in speeches about this platform, that platform and this platform."
(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Alistair Smout; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
