F-16 sale not linked to Iran-US row: FM

By Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE, March 26: The proposed sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan has no links with the US-Iran standoff on Tehran’s nuclear programme nor the deal has anything to do with the issue, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said here on Saturday.

Addressing a news conference, he said Pakistan would get the latest version of the planes (F-16 C/D), and their number would be decided according to the requirements of the defence forces. He said the US had set no limit on the number of planes Pakistan could buy.

About reports that Washington had offered New Delhi cooperation in nuclear field, the minister said Islamabad had also conveyed its need to the US. “We want to maintain a credible balance of strategic and conventional weapons (in the region),” Mr Kasuri said.

Surprised by the Indian reaction to the US-Pakistan deal, the minister said the maintenance of balance in South Asia was in the overall interest of the people of the region.

Mr Kasuri said the purchase of the F-16s would not amount to starting an arms race or inducting a new weapons system as Pakistan already had a fleet of these planes. However, he said, India’s decision to get Phalcon Awacs from Israel would certainly introduce new systems in the region.

He said the Indian armed forces were far ahead of Pakistan in terms of defence expenditure and sheer numbers, and thus, Islamabad was justified in getting new fighter planes from the US.

The minister said the US decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan “is also a sign of the acknowledgement by the international community of the responsible role that Pakistan is playing in the promotion of regional and global peace and security”.

He said Pakistan had a 15-year plan to strengthen its defence and “we’ll buy whatever we are able to get”.

Answering a question, the minister said parts of the centrifuges to be sent by Pakistan to the IAEA would enable the Vienna-based nuclear watchdog to determine whether they were similar to the ones available with Iran.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/03/27/top4.htm

March 06 2005 : Pakistan air force chief to visit Sri Lanka / Overhauled aircrafts returned

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2005/03/06/new21.html

by Rashomi Silva

The Air Force last week confirmed the scheduled visit of the Pakistani Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat to Sri Lanka on Tuesday on a courtesy visit.

Marshal Saadat’s visit is reciprocal to the visit of Sri Lankan Air Chief Air Marshal Donald Perera’s visit to Pakistan in 2003.

Marshal Saadat joined the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 1968 and graduated in 1971. Serving as the commander of the flying wing of the PAK in 1991-1992, the Director Plans in 1992-1994, and as the Deputy Director of the Air Staff (Personnel) are some of the important appointments he held before becoming the Chief of Air Staff of PAF.

He is a graduate of PAF Academy, Risalpur and had completed Air war Course in Pakistan and Inter Services War Course in Ecole Militaire in Paris. Marshal Saadat holds all four military medals, Tamgha, Sitra, Hilal and Nishan-i-imtiaz.

Diplomatic sources viewed the visit as an opportunity to improve the assistance granted for Sri Lankan forces. “Certainly there will be more training opportunities for Armed forces personnel in the future, consequent to this visit,” said Col. Muhammad Wajid, the Defence Advisor for the Pakistan High Commission for Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile the Air Force said the Pakistani Air Force has just completed overhauling of six Sri Lankan fighter aircraft and the air craft are now in Sri Lanka going through the process of reassembling. Commenting on the overhauling of fighter aircraft by the Pakistan, the Air Force spokesperson Group Captain Ajantha Silva said that the Pakistani Air Force has always been a friendly force and we SLAF had lot of assistance from Pakistan.

“The rapport between the service personnel of the two countries had always been very good, specially between the PAF and SLAF,” he said assuring that the Pakistani government would always extend technical and other assistance to Sri Lanka.

(were these F-7’s or F-6’s? )

Yahoo/H-177, I think you should stick to discussing with your level 😉

Wolffy, Do you think it was a coincidence that Pakistan just sent its centrifuges to IAEA after years of refusal just as the F-16s were announced? There’s no free lunch. Just wait a few months. We’ll know 😉

BTW here’s an editorial from Pakistan’s Daily Times:

Pakistan is a responsible state, that co-operates with the UN. That is why centrifuges were shared with the UNITED NATIONS and not U.S.

I hope that helps .

According to Geo TV:

1. U.S. ADMINISTRATION TO PRESENT A BILL IN CONGRESS REGARDING THE SUPPLY OF F-16 PLANES TO PAKISTAN – PRIME MINISTER SHAUKAT AZIZ.
2. ISLAMABAD: NEW F-16 PLANES WILL BE BUILT FOR PAKISTAN SPOKESMAN.
3. ISLAMABAD: PAKISTAN AIR FORCE AND U.S. COMPANY LOCKHEED MARTIN TO TALK – SPOKESMAN U.S. EMBASSY.
4. ISLAMABAD: MANUFACTURERS OF F-16 LOCKHEED MARTIN DELEGATION TO VISIT PAKISTAN SOON – SPOKESMAN U.S. EMBASSY.
5. ISLAMABAD: F-16 AIRCRAFT TO COST $30-40MN A PIECE AND THE AMOUNT WOULD BE ADJUSTED AGAINST GRANT OF $3BN GRANT – SPOKESMAN U.S. EMBASSY.

Excellent. No bases to US for attack on Iran. And F-16’s coming soon. Congratulations to all fellow Pakistanis and thumbs up to the Americans for the goodwill gesture.

Pakistan Zindabad.

😉

Sure 🙂 Just like Pakistan did not allow its territory for an attack against peaceful Afghanistan :diablo:

Terrorist organisations which took refuge in Afghanistan were responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people during 9/11. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, alike were slaughtered in those terrible attacks. Pakistan has a long history of fighting terrorism (within and outside of its borders), and the Afghani case (which you are referring to) was no different.

Terrorism has no place in this world. Whether it takes place in the U.S.A, Palestine, Chechnya, Iraq , Gujarat or Kashmir.

Pakistan is a peace loving country (so is Iran) and will keep fighting terrorism whether it happens in Congo or in Kashmir.

God Bless.