ASIA PACIFIC
Date Posted: 03-Dec-2009
Jane's Defence Weekly
Pakistan asks Germany to ease sales restrictions
Jon Grevatt Jane's Asia-Pacific Industry Reporter
Key Points
Pakistan has urged Germany to ease its defence export restrictions
The move is linked to Islamabad's pending purchase of HDW submarines
Pakistan has called on Germany to ease restrictions on defence-related sales that the European country has imposed on Islamabad for more than a decade.
Defence officials discussed easing the restrictions during Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani's visit to Berlin on 1 December, according to Pakistan's state-run news service, the Associated Press of Pakistan.
The government-operated news agency said talks between the two sides focused on enhancing defence co-operation in "military training, defence procurement and production".
Quoting a "senior Pakistan embassy official", the report added: "There has been some improvement but still a ban continues on acquisition of dual-purpose equipment and Pakistan is seeking to get it lifted."
Spokespersons from the German and Pakistani governments were not immediately available to comment.
As well as imposing a restriction on exports to Pakistan, Germany has implemented a similar policy with Thailand following political unrest in the Southeast Asian country in 2008. This ban has forced a delay in the supply of Ukrainian-manufactured BTR-3E1 armoured personnel carriers to the Royal Thai Army as engines for the vehicles were originally intended to be sourced from Germany.
Defence export bans were imposed on Pakistan by Germany and several other Western nations in 1998 over allegations that Islamabad was producing nuclear weapons and carrying our nuclear tests.
However, many of the countries - including the US - lifted their sanctions in 2001. A spokesperson from another of the countries that maintains the ban, Canada, told Jane's in May this year that the country had "no plans to lift restrictions on the arms sales ban with Pakistan".
Although not confirmed by either government, the meetings in Berlin are likely to have focused on easing restrictions that are almost certainly affecting Islamabad's efforts to secure the purchase of three Type 214 platforms - produced by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) - to meet its next-generation submarine requirement.
The government news agency's reference to talks related to "defence procurement and production" is also a clear indication that the purchase of the submarines was on the agenda.
A source from Pakistan's state-owned Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) confirmed to Jane's in October that the Pakistan government had selected the HDW Type 214 over the DCNS Scorpène and that contractual negotiations were continuing.
The source also confirmed that all three Type 214 vessels would be built under licence by KSEW following extensive technology transfer. The first submarine is expected to be delivered to the Pakistan Navy 64 months after signing the contract, with the remainder to follow within 12 months.
i am wondering if this still is one of the issues besides the availability of funds?
