Thu, Oct 20, 2005
Earthquake-Battered Nation Accepts Offer From India... Sort
Of
While there's no
(immediate) threat of a nuclear exchange in this case, Pakistan and
arch-rival India are at odds once again. This time, the issue is
the help Pakistan desperately needs in the aftermath of an
earthquake that killed as many as 80,000 people -- and how India
can help.
As Aero-News reported last week, military and
relief agencies from all over the world, including the US, are
helping with the massive relief undertaking. India, too, has
offered to help -- an offer that could lead to better diplomatic
relations between the cold warriors at some point down the
road.
Above all, Pakistan says it needs helicopters. India said it's
willing to send fully crewed helos. Ahh, herein lies the rub.
Pakistan told India, in essence, thanks for the offer. Please
send helicopters only.
Pakistan's foreign secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan called his
Indian counterpart Shyam Saran "to convey that Pakistan would be
willing to receive helicopters from India for relief work but
without Indian pilots and crews", said an Indian foreign ministry
statement quoted by the French news agency AFP.
India's response was polite, but firm. "Saran conveyed to his
Pakistani counterpart that it would not be possible for India to
provide helicopters, which are in service with its armed forces
without pilots and crews," the statement said.
The problem is made only tougher by the fact that the quake
devastated Kashmir Province -- the very region the two countries
have battled over for decades. Saran reportedly told Khan his
country remains willing "to undertake relief work in
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)' that lie close to the Line of
Control (LoC)."
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]