Sweden interested in long lease of Gripens to Czech military

Prague, Oct 3 (CTK) - Sweden is interested in the longest possible lease of its Gripen supersonic fighters to the Czech Republic in the talks on their continued use by the Czech military, Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra told the Chamber of Deputies defence committee Wednesday.

The Czech Republic is seeking an economically advantageous solution, Vondra said.

The Czech Republic's negotiating position is disadvantageous because Czechs have declared their intention to keep protecting their sky with their own forces, he added.

The talks are also being complicated for the Czech Republic due to its air force's satisfaction with the Gripen fighters, Vondra said.

The Czech government has declared its intention to keep ensuring the protection of the Czech air space by its own means.

In the past years, the Czech air force used the Swedish Gripens for this.

Vondra said the use of the Gripens had not caused any problems.

"On the part of the Czech air force, there is satisfaction," Vondra said.

"Bearing in mind these two facts I have just mentioned, this is absolutely, terribly disadvantageous for Czechs during the negotiations," Vondra said.

The government has assigned the Defence Ministry to conduct the talks on the continued lease of the Gripens till the end of November.

Vondra said the empowerment related to the bridging area that was to precede a long term solution to the protection of the Czech air space.

"Evidently, the Swedes are interested in the longest possible or such solution that would not only return the costs they have invested, but also to gain some profit," Vondra said.

Vondra said his negotiating team would try to achieve a "maximally economically advantageous solution."

At the end of September, Vondra conducted talks with his Swedish opposite number Karin Enstroem.

He said after their meeting that the latest Swedish offer of the conditions of further lease of the Gripen supersonic fighters had not satisfied the Czech Republic.

If Sweden does not offer more advantageous price conditions, the Czech Republic will put up a new tender for the protection of its air space by supersonic fighters, Vondra said.

The current ten-year lease of 14 Gripens for 19.6 billion crowns from 2004 expires in 2014.

Along with the Czech Republic, the Jas-39 Gripens are being used by Sweden, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand.