Khairul Alam
New Member
An arms-laden C-130 Hercules of the UAE Air Force has been detained on its way to China from Abu Dhabi. Does it indicate a secret military collaboration between the UAE and China? UAE mostly procures its weapons from Western nations, especially the US and France. But why would they send their weapons to China? Is it possible that China is taking UAE's help to take a good look into secret US military technology. One article states that Indian authorities found "combat missiles" among the cargo. Now, I am being purely speculative about this issue. But it would be interesting to have others' opinion on this.
Please read the articles below:
India questions detained UAE air force crew
(AFP) – 17 hours ago
KOLKATA — India continued to question Tuesday the crew of an arms-laden United Arab Emirates air force plane that was being detained in the eastern city of Kolkata on its way to China, officials said.
The plane bound for Hanyang, in China's Hubei province, was grounded in Kolkata on Monday after arms and ammunition which had not been declared by the crew were found on board the plane from Abu Dhabi.
"UAE government authorities have approached us to say it was a technical mistake the pilot has committed" by not disclosing the weapons, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters in New Delhi.
"In view of the friendly relations between the UAE and India we will take a decision on this," he said without elaborating.
The military transport plane was given permission to land in Kolkata on Sunday to refuel on its way to China. It was taken into custody after the weapons were found by customs officials.
The pilot and eight crew members were still being questioned, officials in Kolkata said.
"It has been a very sensitive matter," Joyati Ghosh, a Central Industrial Security Force commandant, told AFP.
"Officials from the ministries of defence, external affairs and finance are having talks with the UAE air force authorities to resolve the issue."
Ghosh said the nine-member crew -- the captain, a co-pilot and a navigator as well as two engineers, an airman and three others -- were staying in a city hotel under tight security.
A customs official who declined to be named said "all but three were carrying valid military passports and visas," adding that "the identity of three members are in question."
A top UAE official said the UAE was in contact with the Indian government to follow up on the incident, the official WAM news agency reported late on Monday.
"The UAE confirms the depth of the relationship between the two countries and its respect for the sovereignty of the republic of India," said Jomaa al-Jonaibi, a director at the UAE's ministry of foreign affairs.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.
AFP: India questions detained UAE air force crew
India to aid speedy release of UAE air force plane
Tue Sep 8, 2009 10:15pm IST
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it would help bring about the quick release of an United Arab Emirates (UAE) air force plane detained in the city of Kolkata for carrying arms without prior permission.
Indian officials held the plane as it stopped to refuel from Abu Dhabi en route to China, saying they had found arms onboard which had not been declared before seeking permission to land.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the ministry said the plane's captain had told Indian customs the plane was carrying arms, ammunition and explosives, but that these had not been mentioned in an initial application.
Authorities at the airport in the country's east held the plane for further investigation.
"The UAE authorities both here and in Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a 'technical error'," the statement said .
"In the light of the above, the matter will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE, and we will facilitate early release of the aircraft."
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
India to aid speedy release of UAE air force plane | Top News | Reuters
Please read the articles below:
India questions detained UAE air force crew
(AFP) – 17 hours ago
KOLKATA — India continued to question Tuesday the crew of an arms-laden United Arab Emirates air force plane that was being detained in the eastern city of Kolkata on its way to China, officials said.
The plane bound for Hanyang, in China's Hubei province, was grounded in Kolkata on Monday after arms and ammunition which had not been declared by the crew were found on board the plane from Abu Dhabi.
"UAE government authorities have approached us to say it was a technical mistake the pilot has committed" by not disclosing the weapons, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters in New Delhi.
"In view of the friendly relations between the UAE and India we will take a decision on this," he said without elaborating.
The military transport plane was given permission to land in Kolkata on Sunday to refuel on its way to China. It was taken into custody after the weapons were found by customs officials.
The pilot and eight crew members were still being questioned, officials in Kolkata said.
"It has been a very sensitive matter," Joyati Ghosh, a Central Industrial Security Force commandant, told AFP.
"Officials from the ministries of defence, external affairs and finance are having talks with the UAE air force authorities to resolve the issue."
Ghosh said the nine-member crew -- the captain, a co-pilot and a navigator as well as two engineers, an airman and three others -- were staying in a city hotel under tight security.
A customs official who declined to be named said "all but three were carrying valid military passports and visas," adding that "the identity of three members are in question."
A top UAE official said the UAE was in contact with the Indian government to follow up on the incident, the official WAM news agency reported late on Monday.
"The UAE confirms the depth of the relationship between the two countries and its respect for the sovereignty of the republic of India," said Jomaa al-Jonaibi, a director at the UAE's ministry of foreign affairs.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.
AFP: India questions detained UAE air force crew
India to aid speedy release of UAE air force plane
Tue Sep 8, 2009 10:15pm IST
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it would help bring about the quick release of an United Arab Emirates (UAE) air force plane detained in the city of Kolkata for carrying arms without prior permission.
Indian officials held the plane as it stopped to refuel from Abu Dhabi en route to China, saying they had found arms onboard which had not been declared before seeking permission to land.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the ministry said the plane's captain had told Indian customs the plane was carrying arms, ammunition and explosives, but that these had not been mentioned in an initial application.
Authorities at the airport in the country's east held the plane for further investigation.
"The UAE authorities both here and in Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a 'technical error'," the statement said .
"In the light of the above, the matter will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE, and we will facilitate early release of the aircraft."
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
India to aid speedy release of UAE air force plane | Top News | Reuters