The head of European aerospace giant Arianespace, Jean-Yves Le Gall, had on Wednesday criticised the Paris-based satellite operator's decision to use a Chinese Long March rocket to send its W3B satellite into space.

But Eutelsat deputy chief executive Jean-Paul Brillaud said the company's decision was based on time and money.

"The launch date guarantee was a main factor in the choice that we made," he told AFP by telephone from a satellite conference in Washington.

There was also "a question of price," he said, adding that Ariane "has significantly raised its prices."

Eutelsat, however, wants to continue to give Ariane a "major" role while having the possibility of using "one or two launchers" from competitors to have a wider choice of rockets, he added.

Brillaud also said that Thales Alenia Space, which built the W3B, "assures that the satellite conforms with ITAR rules," the International Traffic in Arms Regulation which restricts the export and import of sensitive defence-related articles and services built in the United States.

"There is no bypassing of the rules," he said.

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