| Jas to Libya |
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 The Government wants to send eight Swedish Jas Gripen fighter planes and one Hercules planes to Libya. The decision was taken at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting shortly before lunch on Tuesday. Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt informs visiting parliament of the decision and the government puts at the same time a propostion on the operation of parliament. At 14:30 he will give a press conference on the decision. The Swedish Gripen force will be led by NATO, which operated briefly in the area on behalf of the UN Security Council. Under the Government's proposal, the Swedish plan only maintain no-fly zone and not to attack targets on the ground. The Swedish force shall be included in a Nordic battle group, with participants from Estonia, Finland, Ireland and Norway. NATO investigated the possibilities for Swedish air support is already several weeks ago, but the official request came a week. According to preliminary data, it is about eight JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, a Hercules transport aircraft, a reconnaissance plane and a staff of 130 people, which can be expanded to 250. The cost of the operation should not exceed 200 million and the operation to last three months, with a preparation month. According to TT is the bill that Gripen aircraft will only be used to maintain the no-fly zone and not to attack ground targets. The government bill is now expected to fast-tracked. Government proposes that Parliament have a sports day in which to consider the proposal to participate in the Libya operation. For Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, it is important to be endorsed by a large majority in parliament. He has declared, that a decision which means that Swedish soldiers sent into battle where they risk losing their lives, will have broad support, otherwise the Prime Minister is reluctant to set up. The Social Democrats' foreign policy spokesman Urban Ahlin said to echo the Social Democrats remained very positive about the no-fly zone in Libya, but would not consider a request from NATO until he had seen exactly what it contains. |
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