US raises concerns about Israeli military sales to China
WASHINGTON, June 13: The United States has raised concerns with Israel about its sales and transfer of military equipment and technology to China, a Pentagon spokesman said on Monday. The spokesman declined to comment on the specifics of an Israeli report that Washington is demanding Israel provide details of more than 60 per cent of recent security deals with China and its arms export trade in general.
“This is certainly an issue that is being discussed between the United States and Israel, and we have made our concerns about the sale and transfer of defence equipment and technology to China, known to Israel,” said Bryan Whitman, a spokesman for the Defence Department.
“We continue also to raise concerns with our allies, our friends and partners and look for them to take responsible approaches to arms sales to China too. This is broader than just Israel,” he said.
The Haaretz newspaper reported on the deepening months-long US dispute with Israel over a deal to upgrade Harpy Killer unmanned drones it had sold to China.
Besides demanding details on Israeli arms sales to China, the United States has suspended cooperation with the Israeli air force on developing a new jet in the Joint Strike Fighter project and other high-tech military equipment used by ground troops, the newspaper said.
Contact has also been ‘disrupted’ at the top echelon between the Israeli defence ministry and the Pentagon, with Israeli phone calls not answered, it added. Israel’s defence ministry refused to confirm or deny the Haaretz report, saying it was holding discrete talks with the United States to clear up the misunderstanding.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, in a speech in Singapore earlier this month, highlighted American concerns that a rapid Chinese military buildup is putting a risk the military balance in the region.
The Pentagon is expected to issue a report to Congress later this month detailing the buildup.
ARMS TECHNOLOGY: The US government’s chief arms salesman on Monday warned against sharing arms technology with China, but welcomed the prospect of US companies supplying jet fighters to Pakistan and India.
The comments, by Lt Gen Jeffrey Kohler, the US director of defence security cooperation, come as China looks to build up its military strength in the face of a 16-year arms embargo, while India and Pakistan modernize their aging air forces.
“There’s a list of things we strongly feel should not be traded with China,” said Gen Kohler in an interview at the Paris Air Show. “Mostly on the higher end technology, giving them (China) the ability to integrate a lot of the weapon systems they have been buying over the last few years.”
Recent pressure by European governments to lift the arms embargo on China was a mistake, Gen Kohler said.
“I think a lot of European countries have misread how strongly this is felt by our Congress. The government feels very strongly about this.”
Any unilateral lifting of the arms embargo could affect a range of US-European defence projects, Gen Kohler said, including the prestigious F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet program, led by Lockheed Martin Corp, if Congress moves to bar companies which deal with China from US work.
In contrast, the general was positive on fighter sales to India and Pakistan.
“We’re waiting for India to issue their request for proposal,” said Gen Kohler. “The President of the United States has made the decision to offer F-16s to Pakistan and we’re working that through.”
The Bush administration said in March it would let Boeing Co and Lockheed compete for a potential $9 billion market in India for as many as 126 combat aircraft, as India replaces its fleet of Russian-built MiG-21s.
Lockheed is pitching India its F-16 Block 50/52 and Boeing is offering its dual-engine F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The US also said in March it would resume sales of F-16s to Pakistan after a nearly 16-year break. —Reuters
