 |
||
|
||
|
||
Differences have emerged between the US State Department and the Pentagon over the sale of Israel's Arrow missile defence system to India, a media report in Washington said on Tuesday.
The State Department vehemently opposes the sale and Secretary of State Colin Powell will voice that opposition during his forthcoming visit to New Delhi, while the Pentagon strongly supports India's right and necessity to have missile defence, The Washington Post said.
State Department officials told The Post they are united against the sale for geopolitical and arms control reasons. A prime concern, they said, is the message that such a sale would send to Russia, China and other weapons' exporters at a time when the administration priority is a reduction in arms proliferation.
An Arrow sale, they argue, may violate the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)—to which India is not a party—an agreement among more than 30 countries that seeks to limit the spread of missile technology. A Pentagon official said, "We have some issues we need to sort through, particularly how the sale relates to the MTCR. That is an open question."
"We certainly understand India's interest in missile defence," he added, in sharp contrast to State Department officials who did not refer to India's need. A senior State Department official was quoted as saying, "We have concerns about the introduction of more missiles into this area. It could be destabilising."
It is not clear how President George
W. Bush, who has the decisive voice, will decide this rift.
|
||
|
||
|
||