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Shortly after giving a green signal to the sale of Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACs) to India, the United States has asked Israel to downplay the talks on the deal involving sophisticated spy planes in view of the tense stand-off between India and Pakistan.
A message from Washington to Tel Aviv said that it would be preferable to 'maintain a low profile' on contracts pertaining to the supply of Phalcon radar planes to New Delhi in light of current tensions in the subcontinent, English daily Ha'aretz reported on Thursday.
The US had in December cleared the estimated one billion dollar sale of three Phalcon planes to India, but now a US delegation would arrive in Israel at the end of January for 'technical' discussions on the deal, it said.
Having pressurised Israel into cancelling a similar signed deal with China in 2000 for the same weapons system, the US had in principle supported the sale to India.
"This position has not changed but Washington would like to see easing of the tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad," the daily said in its front-page report.
The US move assumes significance as it comes close on the heels of just-concluded visit to India of Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres during which he reportedly discussed with Indian leaders closer cooperation in intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism and defence technology, including the long pending Phalcon deal.
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