Pakistan: Border Attack Report 'Short on Facts'

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistani military rejected the findings of the U.S. investigation into the NATO attacks on Pakistani border posts on the night of Nov. 25-26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Though no detailed rebuttal was made by the Pakistani military, Inter-Services Public Relations - the military's public relations arm - stated it did not agree with the U.S.'s findings and labeled them as being "short on facts."

Pakistan said a detailed response would be given when it received a formal report. No additional information from the military was forthcoming when contacted.

The U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement that the attacks were not intentional. The DoD found "inadequate coordination by U.S. and Pakistani military officers operating through the border coordination center - including our reliance on incorrect mapping information shared with the Pakistani liaison officer - resulted in a misunderstanding about the true location of Pakistani military units."

"This, coupled with other gaps in information about the activities and placement of units from both sides, contributed to the tragic result," the statement said.

The misidentification by the NATO forces of the Pakistani position rests on claims they were initially fired upon. However, the Pakistan military continues to deny that its troops opened fire first.

South Asia analyst and former Australian defense attaché to Islamabad, Brian Cloughley, called the report into question because of how the investigation was carried out.

"How can you have a proper investigation when only one side is involved?" Cloughley said. He called the investigation a "farce" due to Pakistan not being consulted.

Coughley said he does not think the report will improve relations between Pakistan and International Security Assistance Forces under NATO's command, which the Nov. 25 incident further damaged.

"I don't think there is a hope of recovery," he said.

China Rejects Link to Patriot Missiles in Finland

BEIJING - Beijing on Dec. 23 denied that a ship docked in Finland with more than 69 surface-to-air Patriot missiles on board had anything to do with China.

Finnish authorities are investigating after the missiles, produced by U.S. firm Raytheon, were discovered on a British-registered ship bound for the Chinese port city of Shanghai.

Finnish customs are investigating the case as one of illegal export of defense material. Two Ukrainians - the ship's captain and the first mate - have been detained.

"I don't see the ship transporting the missiles having anything to do with China," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a regular briefing.

"I don't know why there is always someone who likes to link certain kinds of things with China and I have noticed the relevant report and I hope to clear up this event."

Germany's defense ministry has said the missiles came from its military and were destined for South Korea. A spokesman said the shipment was a "legal sale on the basis of an accord between two states at the government level".

He said the transaction had received an official export authorization and was reported to customs authorities.

Pakistan Army Chief Rules Out Coup: Statement

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani has ruled out a military takeover in the country, describing rumors about a coup amid a political scandal as "misleading," the military said Dec. 23.

GEN. ASHFAQ KAYANI said in a statement that "[the] Pakistan Army has and will continue to support the democratic process in the country." (Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP)

"He (Kayani) strongly dispelled the speculations of any military takeover and said that these are misleading and are being used as a bogey to divert the focus from the real issues," a military statement cited him as saying.

The general, who was addressing troops in the Mohmand and Kurram tribal regions near the Afghan border on Dec. 22, "reiterated that (the) Pakistan Army has and will continue to support the democratic process in the country," according to the statement.

The army chief's remarks were made public several hours after Pakistan's top judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry also ruled out a military coup.

"Rest assured ... in this country there is no question of (military) takeover because the people trust the apex court now," said the chief justice while hearing petitions calling for an investigation into a memo scandal.

A panel headed by Chaudhry is deliberating whether to order a probe into allegations that a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari wrote asking for U.S. help to prevent a feared coup and reign in the military's power in May.

The armed forces have carried out three coups in Pakistan and is considered the chief arbiter of power in the country of 174 million.

Turkey, France Row May Jeopardize Missile Sale

PARIS - Turkey's suspension of military cooperation with France may make it harder to sell the Franco-Italian Aster 30 air defense missile to the Turkish authorities, a defense executive said Dec. 23.

Ankara froze bilateral defense cooperation and recalled its ambassador to France in retaliation to a new French law making it illegal to deny that genocides took place, including the deaths of Armenians in 1915.

"It doesn't make things easier, that's for sure," the executive said. "That makes relations tense with France."

Eurosam, a joint venture between French electronics company Thales and European missile maker MBDA, is prime contractor for the Sol-Air Moyenne Portée/Terrestre (SAMP/T) ground-based air defense system.

The SAMP/T system is competing in Turkey's tender for a long-range air and missile defense system. It is ranged against the Patriot missile from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, the S300 from Russia's Rosoboronexport, and the HQ-9 from China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corp. (CPMIEC).

MBDA's team in Turkey is led by its Italian side, as there are strong industrial ties between Italy and Turkey, including cooperation between AgustaWestland and Turkish Aerospace Industries on the T-129 light attack helicopter.

"The SAMP/T offer in Turkey is officially made by Eurosam … but MBDA's Italian arm has effectively been the front office for the offer for a while now due to the ongoing friction between Turkey and France due in part to the genocide issue," said an Italian industrial source.

The SAMP/T is based on the MBDA Aster 30 missile and Thales Arabel multifunction radar. France and Italy were launch customers of the SAMP/T.

Between 2006 and 2010, France delivered a total 203.6 million euros of arms to Turkey, the latest annual report to parliament on French foreign military sales showed.

That made an annual average 40 million euros, or around 1 pct of average annual sales of 4 billion-5 billion euros.

As part of Ankara's response to the new law, French military aircraft cannot overfly or land on Turkish territory, French warships may not dock at its ports, and joint military exercises are canceled.

"From now on, we are revising our relations with France," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, AFP reported.

French lawmakers adopted the new law Dec. 22.

Bolivian Army Buys 6 Chinese Helicopters

LA PAZ - Bolivia signed a deal Dec. 22 to buy six Chinese H425 helicopters for its army, at a ceremony attended by Bolivian ministers and Beijing's ambassador, local media reported.

Foreign minister Carlos Romero and planning minister Viviana Caro signed the accord with China's diplomatic representative in La Paz, Shen Zhiliang, in the presence of army chiefs.

"We believe these helicopters are crucial for the diverse needs of our military," said army chief Antonio Cueto.

The 12-seater aircraft will be delivered in 2012 and will also be used for civil defense, officials said.

Bolivia ordered six K-8 fighter aircraft from China in January to help its fight against drug traffickers as part of cooperation accord between the two countries.

Israel Cancels Air Surveillance Deal With Turkey: Paper

JERUSALEM - Israel has cancelled the sale of air surveillance equipment to Turkey over fears that it might fall into the hands of countries hostile to the Jewish state, the Haaretz daily said Dec. 22.

The report said that the contract was signed in 2008 with Elbit Systems and worth some $140 million.

• Ynetnews, reporting the same story, said both the defense ministry and Elbit had confirmed the cancellation.

Haaretz's website said the decision was made "out of security concerns, principally in consideration of Turkey's ties with enemy states of Israel, particularly Iran."

It said the defense ministry highlighted that "we do not allow such advanced technology to fall into other hands, in this way the system can fall into enemy hands."

Export of any military equipment or defense technology is subject to ministry approval.

Haaretz said that, when asked about the cancellation, a security official said "ties with Turkey are extremely important to the state, but we have a security responsibility over any product that is given approval for export."

Once-flourishing Turkish-Israeli ties plunged into deep crisis last year when Israeli forces killed nine Turks in a raid on a Turkish ferry, part of an activist flotilla carrying aid to Gaza.

India's President Wants Improved Maritime Security

ABOARD THE INS SUBHADRA - India's president on Dec. 20 stressed the need to improve maritime security, as the energy-hungry nation grows and ramps up offshore oil and gas exploration activity.

Conducting only the 10th presidential fleet review since independence in 1947, Pratibha Patil said safeguarding India's coastal waters was "a major requirement for the social and economic well-being of our country."

"The oil exploration activities off our coasts and at sea are of significant economic importance," she said in an address on board this naval patrol ship.

"Therefore, the protection of our coast, our 'sea lines of communications' and the offshore development areas is a major pre-requisite of our nation's development."

The 77-year-old head of state, who is also supreme commander of India's armed forces, took the salute of sailors from 81 ships anchored within sight of Mumbai's landmark Gateway of India monument.

She also witnessed a ceremonial fly-over of fighter jets and helicopters.

Maritime security has been pushed up the homeland security agenda since 10 Pakistan-based Islamist militants hijacked an Indian fishing boat and forced it to sail to Mumbai in November 2008.

The gunmen slipped under Coast Guard and Naval radar before launching an audacious assault on landmark targets in the financial and entertainment hub, killing 166 and injuring more than 300.

Offshore oil and gas fields are becoming increasingly important, as India imports about 80 percent of its crude oil and has been frantically trying to find new, domestic fuel sources as the country's economy grows.

Major companies involved in exploration include India's largest private sector firm, Reliance Industries, which earlier this year signed a $7.2 billion deal with BP to tap reserves off India's east coast.