US defence secretary sidesteps India’s concern over F16s for Pakistan

[Judi Lynn]

US defence secretary sidesteps India’s concern over F16s for Pakistan
(AFP)

9 December 2004



NEW DELHI - US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met Indian leaders on Thursday but sidestepped controversy after New Delhi urged Washington not to sell F-16 fighter planes to rival Pakistan.


Rumsfeld, looking to push sales of US military equipment, met India’s Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee followed by Foreign Minister Natwar Singh.

Asked if he had been able to ease Indian concerns, Rumsfeld skirted the issue.

“We had an excellent discussion about all aspects of our defence relationship I don’t know that it’s for me to characterise how other people react to things,” he said.

“We talked about a full range of things. I don’t think I would consider that to be a central part of discussion at all.”

The defence secretary earlier gave a brief statement describing Indo-US defence ties as “strong” and “something that we intend to see further knitted together as we go along the months and years ahead.”
(snip/...)

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2004/December/subcontinent_December313.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=

[teryang]

1. US screwed India royally when it ended arms embargo

...against Pakistan. India shouldn't have accepted it.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Another link for this story.....

US defence secretary sidesteps India's concern about F-16s for Pakistan
12-09-2004, 07h11




Raveendran - (AFP)
NEW DELHI (AFP) - US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has arrived for talks with Indian leaders but sidestepped controversy after New Delhi urged Washington not to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Rumsfeld, looking to push sales of US military equipment, took no questions from journalists after a meeting with India's Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The defence secretary gave a brief statement describing the Indo-US defence relationship as a "strong one and something that we intend to see further knitted together as we go along the months and years ahead."

He skirted any specifics, only saying the discussions at the defence ministry in New Delhi as "excellent".

"We ran over our time," Rumsfeld added. "All kinds of things were discussed and I have invited the minister to visit the US."
(snip/...)

http://www.turkishpress.com/world/news.asp?id=041209071149.m5rl1t36.xml



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Sorry the link for the first story wasn't good. Didn't discover it until this morning.

[Supersedeas]

3. Rumsfeld, looking to push sales US military equipment???? Who does he work

for anyways?

Are US taxpayers fitting the bill for Defense Contractors marketing efforts?