The U.S. and the Kuwait governments are discussing the sale of American arms to that Persian Gulf state, the State Department has disclosed. But it refused to comment on a Kuwait Defense Ministry statement that it would not accept a contract which included conditions on the use of arms it bought.
State Department spokesman Paul Hare said the U.S. consistently opposes transfers of arms it sells to a third country. “That is standard and uniform policy,” he declared.
Fears have been expressed in Israel and by U.S. Congressmen that arms, particularly Phantom Jets, sold to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia may be transferred to Egypt for use against Israel. With regard to the reported willingness of the U.S. to sell Phantoms to Saudi Arabia Hare said that a sale of the fighter bombers to that country is in the “negotiation state.” Last month Israel formally notified the U.S. of its apprehension over the possible transfer of Saudian jets to Egypt.
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