BUSH ADVISED NOT TO SELL F-16S TO TAIWAN: U.S. REPORT
ROC Central News Agency
2006-09-02 16:41:24
Washington, Sept. 1 (CNA) The White House National Security Council (NSC) has advised U.S. President George W. Bush to reject new sales of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan in order to avoid upsetting China, according to The Washington Times Friday.
The move would also signal disapproval with Taipei for its failure to procure submarines, surveillance aircraft and anti-missile defenses offered by the United States since 2001, the paper said.
The paper quoted NSC spokesman Frederick Jones as saying the U.S. government has not yet received a request from Taiwan for F-16s and that if such a request is received, it will be considered in accordance with commitments in the Taiwan Relations Act.
However, the paper also said that Taiwan's representative to the United States, David Ta-wei Lee, was told privately that now is not the time to submit a request for F-16s, in light of the possibility of it being turned down.
Taipei has confirmed that it plans to buy 66 F-16C/D fighters to replace F-5s, a deal estimated at US$3.1 billion.
In response to the report, Lee clarified that the United States has not ruled out any possibilities of arms procurement, but hopes Taiwan will demonstrate its resolve to defend itself.
The U.S. government expects Taiwan to make concrete moves to procure the three weapon systems before proceeding to purchase other items, Lee said.
Meanwhile, a U.S. official familiar with arms sales to Taiwan told Central News Agency that the United States is watching to see if Taiwan's Legislative Yuan will put aside partisan interests and review the procurement budget rationally in the coming months.
The official said the United States has lost patience and that the Legislative Yuan's decision will directly affect the development of U.S.-Taiwan relations.
(By Lin Chieh-yu and Y.F. Low)
ENDITEM/diG
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
