LN: Czech silence on Syria's use of Albatros plane embarrassing

Prague, Aug 15 (CTK) - The use of Czech-made L-39 Albatross planes by the Syrian air force attacking rebels is embarrassing as is Czech diplomacy's silence in reaction to it, Petr Zidek writes in daily Lidove noviny Wednesday.

When it turned out in spring 1968 that Czechoslovakia was supplying L-29 Dolphin planes to the Nigerian government that used them in its war against the separatist province Biafra, a scandal broke out that eventually resulted in the imposition of arms import embargo, Zidek writes.

Earlier this month, when the media showed Czech-made L-39 Albatrosses as part of the Syrian air force attacking the positions of rebels in Aleppo, nothing or almost nothing happened, Zidek says.

"Reporters registered repeated air raids on frightened inhabitants of the Tel Rifaat village, near Aleppo, where the rebels have built their bases among local farmers. The attack was allegedly waged by an L-39 Albatross light combat plane. It repeatedly attacked people's houses with missiles and with a machine gun," Czech Radio's reporter Bretislav Turecek then described the event, cited by Zidek.

Several dailies briefly reported about the event. No one asked Czech politicians to comment on it. The Foreign Ministry did not comment on it either, Zidek writes.

Have the Czechs lost their capability of moral indignation? Does really nobody mind that the Czech aircraft, designed for pilot training, are killing civilians now? Zidek asks.

The situation in the late 1960s differed from the present one in one point. The Omnipol armament company then supplied the L-29 Dolphins to Nigeria during the escalating civil war.

Moreover, Omnipol sold other weapons also to Biafra, via intermediaries. That is why it largely contributed to the start as well as the development of the conflict - none of the parties had its own air force, therefore the Dolphins, flown by South African mercenaries, secured the decisive strategic prevalence for the government forces, Zidek writes.

At present, Czechs may believe that they need not bother about the hundred of Albatrosses that were supplied to Syria in the 1970s and the 1980s, when Communist president Gustav Husak and the current president Assad's father were in power in Czechoslovakia and Syria, respectively. It would be wrong to believe this, however, Zidek writes.

The last Albatrosses were received by Syria in the mid-1980s, he continues, adding that the term "received" is accurate, since Syria never paid for the aircraft.

How it comes that the planes are still operating and capable of work now, after almost 30 years? Until when their Czech producer, Aero Vodochody, continued supplying spare parts to Syria? Until 2005 at least, according to official information from the company, Zidek points out.

Can it be ruled out that Syria still receives spare parts for the Albatrosses via intermediaries? The producer says this cannot be completely ruled out because the aircraft, of which almost 3000 were produced, has been operated by several dozens of countries and also many private operators, mainly overseas, Zidek writes.

A comparison of Czech diplomats' approach in 1968 and now is noteworthy. In 1968, the time of the Prague Spring communist-led reforms, the then press attache at the Czechoslovak embassy in Lagos, Eugen Stumfp, wrote newspaper articles under a cover name in which he tried to provide true information to people on how the "training aircraft" was really used.

At present, Czech diplomats have raised not even a formal protest against the use of the Albatrosses in the civil war in Syria. True, such a protest would hardly influence the brutal dictator who wants to keep in power at any cost. Nevertheless, sometimes a moral gesture is better than nothing, Zidek concludes.