EADS denies being open to Thales link-up

PARIS (Reuters) - EADS (EAD.PA) on Wednesday denied being interested in an alliance with Thales (TCFP.PA) despite earlier comments from one of its executives that the Airbus parent was open to a tie-up with the defence electronics firm.

"Such an alliance is not on the agenda," a spokesman at EADS said.

Herve Guillou, the head of EADS's Defence and Communications Systems, had earlier told Reuters that the European aerospace giant was looking forward to consolidating Europe's defence industry and taking on U.S. rivals.

"It can be Thales. It can be other companies. We are totally open ... Thales has always been our best friend since many years," Guillou said.

But the EADS spokesman said Guillou's comments "does not reflect in any way the group's strategic agenda."

(Reporting by Matthias Blamont, Writing by Marie Maitre)