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Pakistan to retaliate against Indo-Israel radar deal "soon"

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, March 6, IRNA -- Pakistan said Friday it will shortly 
retaliate against India`s deal to purchase three Falcon airborne 
early warning radar systems from the Zionist regime, saying this 
would disturb the strategic balance in South Asia. 
"The sales of sophisticated weapons to India will disturb the 
strategic and conventional imbalance in South Asia, and we will 
naturally take steps to make up for the deal soon," Major General 
Shaukat Sultan, director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations 
told IRNA on phone. 
"We will neutralize the move through every resources at our 
disposal," he maintained. 
India and Israel signed the US$1.1 billion deal on Friday, which 
had been lined up since Zionist Prime Minister Ariel Sharon`s visit 
to India in September last year. 
The development takes place three months before the much-awaited 
India and Pakistan talks to settle their bilteral disputes, including 
the Kashmir issue. 
Such transactions, the spokesman added, undermine the spirit of 
peace and stability being pushed by Pakistan and India and the 
international community. "It is not in the interests of the region." 
Sulatan`s comments came amid Pak-India moves to initiate a 
composite dialogue to settle their bilateral disputes through peaceful
means. 
On Sunday, the Israeli cabinet okayed the deal for the Falcon, a 
rival to the US-made airborne warning and control system (AWACS). The 
Falcon consists of avionics from the state-owned Israel Aircraft 
Industries to be fitted onto Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft. 
Last year, US officials pressed Israel to postpone the Falcon 
sale citing increased tensions between Pakistan and India, but later 
withdrew their objections. 
Tel Aviv and New Delhi have grown closer in recent years and 
Israel has become an important arms supplier to India. 
New Delhi wants to strengthen its defenses by acquiring airborne 
warning and control systems, which can detect aerial threats and also 
serve as a platform to direct combat planes to targets. 
Tel Aviv in recent years has emerged as one of the largest weapons
exporters in the world. Israeli military sales reached US$4 billion in
2002 before falling to 2.8 billion in 2003. 
Last year, Pakistan`s Air Chief Marshal Kalim Saadat vowed to 
neutralize the deal by acquiring latest equipment. 
MHA/TSH/LS/210 
End