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May 24 2012 17:31
The Reserve Bank will maintain current interest rates, and a considerable reduction in the local petrol price is anticipated, says governor Gill Marcus.
May 24 2012 15:29
The Reserve Bank will maintain current interest rates, says governor Gill Marcus.
May 24 2012 12:00
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Paris - European aerospace group EADS is ready to retaliate against South Africa after the country cancelled a contract to buy Airbus military planes and sought repayment of an advance, a press report said on Thursday.
A spokesperson for EADS, the Airbus parent company, declined to comment on the report, carried in the financial newspaper La Tribune.
"There are currently discussions on the cancellation of the contract for the A400M between the two parties," he said.
The Tribune report said that the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company was "seriously considering cancelling most of the orders that have already been signed, worth about €400m, in the framework of a partnership with (South African) industry (notably with the Denel and Aerosud groups) and which were linked to the contract to purchase eight A400Ms."
EADS was also reported to have asked missile maker MBDA, in which it has a 37.5% stake, to freeze discussions with Denel. MBDA, seeking a stake of 51% in Denel, has been in talks with the South African company for the past two years.
Earlier this month, South Africa said it had cancelled its order for eight A400M military transporters, citing cost escalations. It was a fresh blow to the A400M program, already three years behind schedule.
South Africa has also asked EADS to reimburse it €250m to €300m that it had paid as an advance.
Following is a statement from Airbus in response to the unattributed report appeared in the French publication, La Tribune, this morning claiming that Airbus? parent, EADS, was ready to take retaliatory action against South African suppliers to Airbus.
In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, Airbos said there are currently no plans to withdraw work packages from South Africa.
"Airbus enjoys strong and valuable partnerships with South Africa and its suppliers in the local aerospace industry. At the same time, Airbus is strengthening its ties with South African academia and research institutes, several of which are engaged in Airbus? global research and technology programme to identify and develop new technologies for eco-efficient aircraft.?
- AFP