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US denies refusing Pakistan’s request for defence equipment* Clarifies it does not intend to transfer EDAs from Afghanistan to Pakistan
APP
WASHINGTON: The United States has not refused Pakistan’s request to provide it excess defence articles (EDA) from its worldwide pool, the State Department said while citing Washington’s continued security cooperation with the key South Asian country.
“To be clear, the United States has not refused Pakistan’s request regarding EDA sourced from the worldwide pool (to include any request that might involve MRAPs),” Office of the spokesperson said. The spokesperson’s remarks came in response to a series of questions raised at the daily briefing about reports on possible provision of mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles to Pakistan. The spokesperson noted that the United States “continues to assist Pakistan through many security cooperation programs to build partnership capacity, including through the provision of worldwide available EDA.”
“The United States is currently reviewing Pakistan’s request for EDA sourced from the worldwide available EDA pool,” the spokesperson said. For details regarding the specifics of Pakistan’s request, the spokesperson directed reporters to the government of Pakistan. However, the spokesperson added: “We note we have not and do not intend to transfer EDA from Afghanistan to any of its neighbouring countries, including Pakistan.” Military equipment that has been determined to be excess can be made available through the worldwide excess defence articles (EDA) programme, which is open to all eligible countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, the spokesperson explained.
A number of countries including Pakistan routinely request EDA through our worldwide EDA programme, the State Department said. EDA may come from many places around the world where the designated Department of Defence implementing agency has excess equipment. Much of this equipment is currently at depots in the continental United States.
All EDA is provided “as is, where is” meaning recipient countries are responsible for the transportation and any needed refurbishment costs for all EDA transfers.
The State Department also elaborated that the US military equipment leaving overland from Afghanistan through Pakistan or via the Northern Distribution Network is part of the overall process of removing equipment as American forces draw down in Afghanistan. “We have not and do not intend to transfer this equipment to the governments neighbouring Afghanistan.”
Washington’s decisions on worldwide EDA transfers “involve a thorough and deliberate review that considers the needs of potential recipients, our mutual national security needs, the ability of the recipient to sustain the equipment, and other factors,” the spokesperson said. The State Department works with the Department of Defence to identify recipients for excess defence articles. “The State Department retains final statutory approval,” and “reviews each EDA request carefully.”
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk