US may give drone technology to Pakistan: Gates

Pakistan

US may give drone technology to Pakistan: Gates

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21 January,2010 09:09 pm

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said that the US was considering providing drone technology to Pakistan but only for unarmed aircraft - to partly meet a demand this country has been making for over a year. Talking to media in Islamabad, he said, Pakistans demand for provision of drone technology has been accepted by the US and we are working together with Pakistan Army in this connection. We are considering the provision of planes for intelligence surveillance and unmanned planes to Pakistan. Discussions are under way with the Pakistan military leadership on technical matters in this regard, he added.According to sources, Gates said that Pakistan was taking serious steps in the war against terror and the US would fulfill Pakistans defence needs for this effort. He said Obama Administration is seriously considering Pakistans demands and the matter of a strategic partnership would be reviewed. He said that Blackwater and DynCorp are working in Pakistan at private level, and if Pakistani Parliament puts restrictions on the companies, the decision would be accepted.