WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (UPI) _ Under heavy pressure from Britain, the United States has agreed to limit military cooperation with Argentina under a new defense alliance the Clinton administration will enter into with the South American nation.
Bajo la pesada presión de Gran Bretaña, los Estados Unidos han concordado limitar la cooperación militar con Argentina bajo una nueva alianza de defensa, que la administración Clinton entrará con la nación sudamericana.
U.S. and British officials tell United Press International that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has privately pledged to Foreign Secretary Robin Cook that London will be consulted prior to any arms sales for Argentina, with which Britain fought a war 15 years ago and President Clinton soon is expected to designate as a Major Non-NATO ally.
They say the agreement between London and Washington, NATO partners and staunch allies, essentially gives Britain veto power over all American weapons sales to Argentina.
Ellos dicen del acuerdo entre Londres y Washington, socios de la OTAN, dan esencialmente a Gran Bretaña mayor poder de veto de todas ventas Americanas de armas a Argentina.
Members of that exclusive club of non-NATO allies, which includes only Israel, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, are permitted to purchase weapons from Pentagon stocks on a priority basis and receive specialized military training from the Pentagon. But Britain, which has significantly improved relations with Argentina since fighting a full-scale war over the Malvinas Islands in 1982, complained about the arrangement. U.S. and British officials say that as a result Albright assured Cook during a meeting in Hong Kong last month, where they both attended ceremonies marking the handover to China, and during a telephone conversation Thursday that the Clinton administration will consult with British officials before concluding any arms sales to Argentina.
A spokesman at the British Embassy, Robert Chatterton-Dickson, tells UPI: "Obviously, that was something we wanted to look at. We are now confident that nothing in the agreement will interfere with our ability to defend the Malvinas Islands.''
"Obviamente, eso fue algo nosotros querìamos ver. Ahora estamos seguros que ese acuerdo no interferirà con nuestra habilidad para defender las Islas de Malvinas."
State Department spokesman James P. Rubin acknowledged British concerns and said "problems'' over the new alliance between the United States and Argentina had been worked out between Albright and Cook. Before a meeting with Albright today, Argentinian Foreign Minister Guido Di Tella said Britain should have no problem with the new arrangement as relations between London and Buenos Aires are "excellent.''
Argentina has expressed a desire to purchase American F-16 jet fighters, a transaction U.S. officials say they are "carefully considering.'' British officials say they plan in the coming months to discuss the potential F-16 sale.
La Argentina ha expresado un deseo de comprar cazas F-16, los funcionarios de ESTADOS UNIDOS de dicha transacción dicen que "están considerando cuidadosamente.'' Los británicos dicen que planean en los meses que vienen discutir la venta potencial del F-16.
Albright said earlier this week that President Clinton was preparing to soon announce a decision formally designating Argentina as a Major Non-NATO ally of the United States. U.S. officials say Albright will "put the finishing touches'' on the pact during the talks with Di Tella, but leave the formal announcement for Clinton to make in the coming weeks.
