HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
www.unitedstates.com U.S. warns new NATO members on jets WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The State Department scolded Hungary and the Czech Republic, the two most recent members of NATO, for signaling their intention to buy supersonic jetfighters from a Swedish and British consortium and not the United States. "As the Czech Republic and Hungary determine their future military requirements, we urge them to avoid major defense procurements that could jeopardize other urgently needed military reforms," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Tuesday. "The secretary has raised these issues about the cost, the spending, the implication for other programs. But in the end, he has always said if you're going to buy airplanes, you ought to buy American ones." President Clinton personally pushed the North Atlantic alliance to take on Hungary and the Czech Republic in the last round of NATO expansion, a fact that many in the U.S. government and aerospace industry believe commanded the loyalty of their checkbooks. But in the end, the Swedish and British consortium BAE Systems/Saab appear to have won the contract. Lockheed Martin had hoped to sell their F-16s to the Czech and Hungarian air force, playing the NATO card. Hungary is now likely to lease 14 JAS-39 fighters and the Czechs are expected to purchase 24 of the same model. Now U.S. diplomats are pressing the Poles who are considering a deal to lease the planes by August. Boucher said Powell raised the issue Monday with Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzmierz Cimoszewicz in Washington. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information contained in this message is confidential and is intended for the addressee only. If you have received this message in error or there are any problems please notify the originator immediately. The unauthorised use, disclosure, copying or alteration of this message is strictly forbidden. This mail and any attachments have been scanned for viruses prior to leaving Barts & The London NHS Trust network. Barts & The London NHS Trust will not be liable for direct, special, indirect or consequential damages arising from alteration of the contents of this message by a third party or as a result of any virus being passed on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
