TURKEY REFUSES TO ACCEPT SWISS DEFENSE CONTRACT BID
United Press International
April 11 2006
ANKARA, Turkey — Ankara has barred a Swiss aircraft producer from
tendering for a contract to supply the Turkish Air Force with trainer
planes, citing political reasons.
Defense officials said Pilatus, a Stans-based manufacturer of small
aircraft, had been forbidden from bidding for the $500 million contract
because of a diplomatic row between the two countries, Turkish Daily
News reported.
“There is an understanding that Swiss bidders should not join Turkish
military contracts,” a senior official said. “We don’t think Swiss
contenders would be reliable partners in defense contracts.”
Bilateral relations between the two countries were severely strained
by the Swiss parliament’s 2003 adoption of a resolution condemning the
Ottoman Empire’s “genocide” of Armenians during the First World War.
A 1991 arms embargo on Turkey was lifted by Bern last year.
However, Ankara seems determined to keep the Swiss defense industry on
its red list. Turkey last year removed South Africa from its red list
of countries that cannot participate in defense procurement contracts,
while opening up towards European Union defense industries.
There are currently three international bidders involved in the
procurement of the jet trainers: Brazil’s Embraer, Korea Aerospace
Industries and U.S. company Raytheon.