Defence cooperation between Russia and Pakistan starts as Russia’s major aircraft plant Ulan-Ude has shipped the first batch of four MI-17(1) transport helicopters to Pakistan and four choppers will be airlifted by the end of the week.
The MI-17(1) helicopters are a modernized version of MI-17 which can also conduct operations in night, fitted night vision, thermal imaging and latest avionics its also capable of airlifting troops and supplies at high altitudes. Introduction of these Eight MI-17(1) helicopters into Pakistan army will give a boost to its logistic capabilities.
Russia has welcomed de-escalation of Indo-Pak tension and has emphasized the need for consolidating and developing the positive trend for resumption of negotiations between the two countries.
“The Russian side welcomes the steps taken by the Indian and Pakistani leaderships, resulting in a reduction of the level of confrontation in the region,” a Russian foreign ministry release said.
“Now the important thing is to consolidate and develop the positive trends and achieve the creation of prerequisites for the resumption of the negotiation process between New Delhi and Islamabad and the return of Indo-Pak relations to normalcy,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov told Pakistani ambassador Iftikhar Murshed on Thursday in course of their meeting.
President Musharraf had also expressed his willingness to pay a visit to Russia on Putin’s invitation that was also extended to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the official said. He said that the dates of the president’s visit to Moscow were being finalized through diplomatic channels and that the visit was expected to take place in a month or so. After his initiative of inviting Musharraf and Vajpayee to meet the two leaders on the sidelines of a regional conference in Almaty to de-escalate the Pakistan-India tension, Putin had extended invitations to both the leaders to visit Moscow with the same spirit. Officials see a major breakthrough in the Pakistan-Russia relations in the wake of President Musharraf’s visit to Moscow.
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