Pakistan - Us Arms Deal, India Objects (from ATSNN), page 1

posted on Mar, 26 2005 @ 01:29 AM

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After a fifteen year arms embargo, Washington has come to an agreement with Pakistan allowing the country to buy sophisticated F-16 warplanes to be built by the US. India has complained immediately on announcement of the arms deal, saying that the new sale would threaten the countries security, with President Bush making hurried phone calls to the Indian prime Minister Manmohan Singh, assuring him that while America would go ahead with the sale, India was free to also buy F-16's or F-18 fighter planes from the US. India is worried that the new arms sale to Pakistan will tip the military balance in the region and affect peace talks between the two neighbouring countries.

story.news.yahoo.com
U.S. defense companies are now "free to talk to India about what they have to offer, and it will be up to India to decide what it wants," to buy, Ereli said.

There is no limit on future sales to Pakistan, a State Department official said on condition of anonymity.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since the former British colony was partitioned in 1947 into predominantly Hindu and predominantly Muslim states.

At the same time, Bush told Singh that the United States was responding to India's request for information on its own future warplane purchases, Perino said.

The United States has sold a variety of weaponry to India since lifting a ban on arms sales three years ago that had been imposed after an Indian nuclear test. Last year, in a move seen

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Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice discussed purchases of US built and produced warplanes during her recent visits to both countries. She is believed not to have discussed the Pakistan deal on her visit to India with fears it would anger the Indian governement.

Pakistan is happy over the deal, commenting that the new boost to the countries defence will bring the balance of power to an even keel within the region. The sale represents an about face by the American administation with reasons of Pakistan aid in the hunt for Anti American terrorists cited as to why the shift in policy.

[edit on 26-3-2005 by Mayet]

[edit on 26-3-2005 by Mayet]

sanctum

posted on Mar, 26 2005 @ 01:43 AM

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Covered here,
www.atsnn.com...

FredT

posted on Mar, 26 2005 @ 01:52 AM

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As noted above this topic already exists both ATS and in ATSNN and can be found here:

Bush Agrees to Sell F-16s to Pakistan - ATSNN thread

Bush Agrees to Sell F-16s to Pakistan - Aircraft Projects Forum

Please post your thoughts and comments in the existing thread as this one is to be closed.

Thanks
FredT