EADS says it won't violate US export laws . . .

Finally caught in the act, EADS tries to reassure US lawmakers that it won't violate any American export laws in its sale of military aircraft to Venezuela - while its CASA subsidiary works frantically behind the scenes to replace American-made engines to circumvent (and therefore not violate) those laws.

According to The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, EADS "has said repeatedly that it will not violate US export laws and regulations. EADS Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders recently reaffirmed that the company will not do any deal that harms its opportunities in the United States, a company official said.

"EADS says the [Chavez] deal has always been a 'country-to-country issue.' It is not clear how much the company stands to profit from it."