India concerned over US F-16 sale to Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, March 16, IRNA
India-US-Pakistan
Ahead of her Islamabad visit, India Wednesday conveyed to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice its concern over proposed sale of F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan, saying it might create "some complications", reported Press Trust of India.
On her first visit here after assuming the new charge, Rice hailed India as a "major factor in international economy and international politics taking on more and more global responsibilities" and international institutions will have to "start accommodating (it) in some way".
Rice, after her talks with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, was, however, non-committal on US support to India's candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council, saying discussions were underway over the reforms in the world body.
"We did express certain concerns on certain matters on the defense issue. It might create some complications," Singh said referring to F-16 issue at a joint press conference with Rice after their 45-minute parleys on wide-ranging issues covering Nepal, Indo-Pak ties, Afghanistan, Iraq, West Asia, and other issues of mutual interests.
However, he said there were "no serious differences of opinion".
He said there were one or two items on which we don't agree. But our relations have reached a maturity where we can discuss these issues freely and frankly and place our views firmly with regard to F-16 on which our views are well known.
2160/2325/1432
::IRNA No.033 17/03/2005 12:49 --End
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