Switzerland Taps Saab's Gripen as F-5 Replacement

STOCKHOLM - Swedish defense group Saab AB said Nov. 30 it was "proud and delighted" over Switzerland's decision to purchase 22 of its Gripen fighter jets to replace its aging F-5 fleet.

"Given that Switzerland is known globally for applying (the) highest procurement standards and requesting state-of-the art technologies, Saab is both proud and delighted that Gripen has been chosen as the Swiss Air Force's future multirole fighter aircraft," Saab said in a statement.

The Swiss selection "confirms that Saab is a market-leader in the defense and security industry and that Gripen is a world-class fighter system that provides the best value for money", Saab CEO and president Haakan Buskhe said in the statement.

Gripen is already in service with the Swedish, Czech, Hungarian, South African and Thai air forces.

Saab saw its share price take off on the Stockholm stock exchange after the announcement. Saab closed up 11 percent at 120 kronor ($17.75) in an overall market that closed up 5.14 percent.

EU Set to Impose Arms Embargo on Syria

BRUSSELS - EU member states moved closer to imposing an arms embargo on Syria at an April 29 meeting where member states reached a preliminary agreement on the embargo and to consider other measures to respond to Syria's action against pro-democracy protestors, said Reuters quoting EU diplomats.
"In light of the continuing violence and in order to promote a democratic process, the EU has launched its internal procedures for an embargo on arms and equipment used for internal repression and will urgently consider further appropriate and targeted measures with the aim of achieving an immediate change of policy by the Syrian leadership," Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, said in a statement after the meeting.

Gergely Polner, a spokesman for Hungary, the current EU president, said that EU ambassadors came to a political agreement to start preparing sanctions, including an arms embargo.
In terms of the timeline for a decision, Polner was quoted by Reuters as saying that "[EU governments] understood the grave situation in Syria. The presidency made it clear that as soon as we have a proposal on the table, we will start working on sanctions".
A spokesperson for Ashton said the issue was "very likely" to be on the agenda of EU foreign ministers for their meeting at the end of May, but that a decision could also be taken in council via a written procedure. Whichever mechanism is chosen, the decision to impose an arms embargo would come into force the day afterward when it has been published in the EU's Official Journal.
The spokesperson said the EU was "very likely to adopt the same kind of approach for the arms embargo as it did with Libya," banning equipment used for internal repression, such as riot gear. Review was now at the working party level, she said, adding that she did not know who would police the embargo.

NATO Chief Hopes Poland EU Presidency Boosts Russia Ties

WARSAW - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said March 17 he hoped Poland would use its upcoming presidency of the European Union to enhance the military alliance's ties with Russia.
"Poland can ... play a special role in improving the relationship between Russia and NATO in the European Union and that would be beneficial in our endeavors to improve the overall Euro-Atlantic security," Rasmussen said at a joint press conference with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski in Warsaw.

"We look very much forward to the Polish presidency of the European Union in the second half of this year," he said.
Having joined the European Union in 2004, Poland will take over the 27-member bloc's rotating presidency on July 1.
The NATO chief was in the Polish capital to mark the 12th anniversary of Poland's NATO entry along with fellow ex-communist states Hungary and the Czech Republic, a move that outraged their Soviet-era master Russia.
Poland's ties with Moscow have remained rocky since it peacefully shed communism in 1989, but its increasing importance as an EU member has seen Warsaw take on a conciliatory tone towards the Kremlin.
Rasmussen said he also thought Poland could play a role in enhancing cooperation between NATO and the European Union.
"Poland is a strong ally and has a strong position within the European Union and based on that Poland can play a special role in advancing our mutual cooperation," Rasmussen added.