NEW YORK, Oct 1: The United States continued to lead the world in supply of weapons to the developing world in 2006, followed by Russia and Britain, said the New York Times citing a Congressional study. Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia were the top buyers.

The announcement of major new arms agreements with Pakistan last year renewed debate over whether the Bush administration was elevating its counter-terrorism priorities above its pledge to spread democracy around the world, the newspaper said.

Pakistan was a major recipient of American arms sales in 2006, including the $1.4 billion purchase of 36 new F-16C/D fighter aircraft and $640 million in missiles and bombs. The deal included a package for $890 million in upgrades for Pakistan’s older versions of the F-16.

At the same time, the State Department’s own survey of global human rights in 2006 noted a variety of shortcomings in Pakistan’s record on human rights and democratisation, the Times noted.

However, the newspaper pointed out that the Bush administration had argued that it was important to maintain the support of a nuclear-armed Pakistan in the broader counter-terrorism fight, particularly as Al Qaeda and Taliban regrouped in the North-West Frontier Province along the Afghan border.

In 2006, the United States agreed to sell $10.3 billion in weapons to the developing world, or 35.8 per cent of these deals worldwide, according to the study.

Russia was second with $8.1 billion, or 28.1 per cent, and Britain third with $3.1 billion, or 10.8 per cent.

Pakistan concluded $5.1 billion in agreements to buy arms in 2006, followed by India with $3.5 billion in agreements and Saudi Arabia with $3.2 billion.

The combined value of arms sales worldwide to both developed and developing nations in 2006 reached $40.3 billion, a decline of nearly 13 per cent from 2005.