LONDON Ñ Iran and Pakistan are discussing military cooperation,
including a proposal by Islamabad to allow Pakistani warplanes to be given
safe haven in Iran.
The Pakistani proposal reflects a fear that Indian warplanes will target
Pakistani air fields in any first conventional strike. India's air force is
said to be far superior to that of its Muslim neighbor.
Currently, Pakistan has deployed many of its warplanes along the Iranian
border. Western diplomatic sources said these Pakistani air bases as well as
the nation's nuclear facilities are farthest from India and require that
Indian warplanes fly over Iranian territory.
The sources said the Pakistani request was similar to that arranged
between Iran and Iraq on the eve of the 1991 Gulf war. At the time, Iraq
flew nearly 50 warplanes to Iran to avoid U.S. air attacks. Iran has never
returned the planes.
In Cairo, Pakistani envoys accused India of using Israeli military
support to maintain the conflict over Kashmir. Sikandar Hayat, termed the
prime minister of the Pakistani-controlled Kashmir area, warned that Isarel
and India are cooperating in military operations and that India's huge labor
force in Gulf Cooperation Council states is a threat to the region.
Over the weekend, Iranian National Security Council chief Hassan Rowhani
discussed the conflict with Islamabad as well as military cooperation with
Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf. Rowhani also discussed
cooperation with India.
Rowhani last visited Pakistan in May 2001. Iran and Pakistan have been
rivals for years and Teheran has long complained of arms and drug smuggling
from its eastern neighbor.
