Chavez says may give US F-16 jets to Cuba, China (Reuters) Updated: 2005-11-02 10:49
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday his government may give its
U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Cuba or China and replace them with Chinese or
Russian aircraft after accusing Washington of blocking purchases of U.S.
military parts.
Any exchange of military hardware to those countries would break an agreement
with the U.S. government on the transfer of technology without Washington's
permission and further strain fraying ties between Venezuela and the United
States.
A fierce critic of the Bush administration, Chavez has rattled Washington by
strengthening ties with anti-U.S. states like Cuba and promoting his
self-described socialist revolution as a counterweight to U.S. regional
influence.
"If they don't comply with the contract ... we can do whatever we want with
these aircraft, whatever the hell we want. Maybe we'll give 10 planes to Cuba or
to China so they can study the technology," Chavez said.
"We could give them away and buy aircraft from China or from Russia. ... We
don't need any U.S. imperialism," he said.
A U.S. defense official said there had been no communications with
Venezuela's government about any sale of F-16s to other countries, but he noted
that U.S. laws on foreign arms sales were "quite strict" regarding third-party
transfers.
The United States does not trade with Cuba and keeps a tight rein on any
technology transfers to China.
Israeli media reported last month that Washington had blocked a sale of
technology to Venezuela to upgrade its F-16 fighters, which are made by Lockheed
Martin Corp. and powered by engines made by General Electric Co. or Pratt and
Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
U.S. officials have not confirmed the reports.
Chavez, a former army officer, made his statement during a ceremony to sign a
contract with China to build a Venezuelan communications satellite and train
Venezuelan specialists in China to manage the technology.
Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter and a key supplier to the U.S.
market, was a traditional military ally to the United States. But relations
deteriorated steadily after Chavez was elected in 1998.
Washington sold Venezuela 24 F-16 fighter aircraft in the 1980s when Caracas
was seen as an ally against Cuba. It was unclear how many of the jets are
operational now.
In constant tit-for-tat sniping, Chavez often accuses Washington of planning
his assassination, while U.S. officials counter he has become a regional menace
by using his oil revenues to finance anti-democratic groups in South America.
Venezuela still sells most of its crude oil to the U.S. market, but Chavez
has moved to diversify economic partners by strengthening ties with countries
like Russia, China, Iran and his South American neighbors.
In a sign of deteriorating relations, Chavez last year downgraded military
ties with the United States by asking Washington to close down liaison offices
at Venezuelan military bases.
Venezuela recently announced the purchase of automatic rifles and attack
helicopters from Russia, naval vessels from Spain and military aircraft from
Brazil in an effort to revamp its armed forces.
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