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Us declares pakistan an ally for arms sales { March 19 2004 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
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US declares Pakistan an 'ally' and opens door to arms sales
By Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad
Published: March 19 2004 4:00 | Last Updated: March 19 2004 4:00
The US said yesterday it would name Pakistan a key non-Nato ally, elevating the country's military status as Pakistani troops launched a fresh operation against suspected members of al-Qaeda in a remote border region.
The announcement by Colin Powell, the US secretary of state, was welcomed by Pakistan as a step that would make it easier to buy arms from the US.
Mr Powell was visiting Pakistan, one of the main US allies in the war on terrorism, to meet General Pervez Musharraf, the military ruler, and Zafarullah Khan Jamali, the prime minister.
Pakistan has long been frustrated by its inability to buy advanced weaponry and aircraft from the US because of Washington's concern about its nuclear arms programme.
"We'll designate Pakistan as a major non-Nato ally for purposes of our future military-to-military relations," said Mr Powell after meeting Khurshid Kasuri, Pakistan's foreign minister.
Pakistani officials said the announcement would give the country access to improved weapons systems for the first time in more than a decade.
Pakistan has been unable to buy US F-16 fighter aircraft since 1990, when their delivery was suspended because Washington said Islamabad was producing nuclear weapons. The US imposed tougher sanctions in 1998 following Pakistan's maiden nuclear tests.
"Even though the 1998 sanctions were lifted after we became an ally in the war on terror, our efforts to buy sophisticated US arms have been discouraged so far," said a Pakistani official.
"Now Pakistan's status as a key non-Nato ally opens new doors for military co-operation, arms sales, training of personnel and more contact between the Pakistani and US military."
However, Mr Powell also used his visit to remind Pakistan that it must thoroughly investigate the activities of the country's top nuclear scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan, who recently admitted passing on nuclear knowhow and technology to Libya, Iran and possibly North Korea.
"Questions have arisen as to not only what Dr Khan and his associates might have been doing, but was there any other knowledge within the government at the time it was happening," Mr Powell said.
"I think this is a logical and proper question to ask and I am sure that Pakistani authorities would want it to be known as well."
The Pakistani government and army say Dr Khan was acting on his own.
Ahead of Mr Powell's meetings with Pakistan's leaders, the military yesterday launched a fresh attack on a cluster of villages near the Afghanistan border, suspected of being hideouts for al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
Troops backed by helicopters fought intense fire from well-armed militants and their local tribesmen allies.
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