Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz met US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy yesterday. One of the main topics of discussion was to try to resolve a dispute over Israel's military relations with China.
Mofaz told Israeli journalists in Washington that he would return to the US capital "in a few months" for further talks on the Chinese issue. He did not rule out that the Harpy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) deal with China might be abandoned under US pressure.
Mofaz's comments imply that Israel's dispute with the US over China is not yet over. Additional talks will be necessary, in addition to the ongoing talks by the Israeli team, headed by Herzl Bodinger, who is the liaison with the Pentagon for Israel-China military relations, and the US team, headed by Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Technology Security Policy Lisa Bronson.
Mofaz said the teams' talks "were making good progress in a warm atmosphere", and that "significant progress" had been made. He said that the talks would continue for several more months. "The purpose is to remove the subject from the agenda as quickly as possible, and we're giving it full backing."
In response to questions about the standing of Ministry of Defense director general Amos Yaron, and whether he would pay the price for allegations by US officials that he concealed from them information about an arms deal with China, Mofaz said he could not comment on "personal matters". Other sources told "Globes" that Yaron's name was not mentioned in Mofaz's talks with Rumsfeld.
In response to a question about the fate of the deal, signed in 1999, to upgrade Harpy UAVs for China, Mofaz said, "When it's all over, we'll know the fate of the deal." This was the first time that an Israeli official believes that the deal might not go ahead.
Mofaz emphasized that the disagreement was not affecting strategic cooperation with the US, "without mentioning the name of any program." In its latest issue, "Defense News" reported that the dispute was harming Israel's role in the development of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
Israel Ambassador to the US Daniel Ayalon told "Globes" that Mofaz's visit was helping promote the issue of Israeli technology exports. "Rumsfeld expressed an understanding of the need to quickly settle the problem between the two countries."
Mofaz also met yesterday with Vice President Richard Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Steve Hadley, and Senator John W. Warner (Rep.-Virginia), chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. These meetings focused on the disengagement plan and regional issues.
On these subjects, Mofaz told the journalists, ""The Palestinians must stop the smuggling of Strella shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles to Gaza, find the missiles, and deliver them to Israel. If they do not do so, we will." He added that there was a gap between "Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas's (Abu Mazen) good intentions and the reality on the ground." He said there was no progress on reforms and the struggle against terrorism by the Palestinians, despite confidence-building measures undertaken by Israel.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 31, 2005