U.S., Israel Work On Arms Protocol

Fri., Aug. 18, 2000

The United States is working with Israel on arrangements that would assure U.S. consultation before Israel sells arms to other countries, a senior U.S. official said Thursday.

The aim is to avoid the kind of public dispute that marked a planned Israeli sale of an advanced airborne radar system to China. Under U.S. pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak called off the lucrative deal during peace talks last month at Camp David, Md.

The cancellation cost Israel about $500 million and an opportunity to strengthen ties with the world’s most-populous nation. Meanwhile, Chinese President Jiang Zemin complained to U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen about the cancellation.

The senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States does not claim veto powers over Israel’s weapons sales that do not involve U.S. equipment. But he said the administration wants a better system of consultation before a sale is concluded. That would give the United States a chance to raise objections in private.

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U.S., Israel Work On Arms Protocol

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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