Pakistan to get 18 to 24 F-16 fighter Jets
Pakistan Times Monitoring Report

LAHORE: A spokesperson for the US Embassy has said that the number of the F-16 fighter jets for Pakistan ranged from 18 to 24, The Nation reported on Sunday.

The spokesperson said matters regarding supply of F-16s, their cost, and financing for the purchase would be negotiated between the Pakistan government and the US government. While, he added, the technical details would be sorted out by the Pakistan Air Force with the US supplier company.

The spokesperson said the number of aircraft ranged from 18 to 24 and financing for their purchase could be done from the $3 billion aid package, containing $1.5 billion military assistance, announced by President Bush for Pakistan during General Pervez Musharraf’s visit to America in June 2003.

Offer to India

The spokesperson confirmed that the US had also offered India the purchase of either F-16 or F-18 planes as well as technology transfer in relation to those.

He said it was the first time that the US had offered any such planes to India and for that purpose it had given a green signal to the US Defense Controller to talk to New Delhi.

He said financing for the proposed package to India would be different, as the US did not have any big military programmes with India.

The spokesperson clarified that the US did not see its relations with India as well as with Pakistan a zero-sum game, but it enjoyed excellent relations with the two countries.

Ties with Pakistan

He said the supply of fighter jets would resolve the 15-year-old dispute between the two countries over the supply of these planes, whose latest version had been offered this time.

This, he said, reflected the confidence the US reposed in Pakistan as well as the growing trade and security relationship between the US and Pakistan. He said President Musharraf’s role in US war against terror was the key factor behind the promotion of ties between the two countries.

With reference to a recent visit of the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the spokesperson said the new US administration wanted stronger relations with Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

He clarified the US offer had nothing to do with the forthcoming visit of President Musharraf to India to see a cricket match.
However, the US supported on-going peace efforts between the two countries, he concluded.●