Switzerland will continue to fulfill an order for military training aircraft placed by the United Arab Emirates, the cabinet decided on Wednesday.
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In renewing a two-year-old authorisation to export the aircraft, the cabinet reviewed the situation in North Africa and the Gulf region and concluded the UAE was one of the most politically and economically stable countries in the region.
The government first approved the country’s order for 25 PC-21 planes in May 2009, to replace the PC-7 engines exported by Switzerland in the 1990s.
Only a few of the planes have been delivered so far. The planes were ordered from the Stans-based aircraft manufacturer Pilatus.
The cabinet said refusing to renew the authorisation would have been a disproportionate measure.
However the Group for Switzerland without an Army criticised the decision, saying the UAE was accused of human rights abuses and of taking part in measures to suppress recent uprisings in Bahrain.
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