Venezuela not allowed to sell U.S. F-16s to Iran -- McCormack

WASHINGTON, May 16 (KUNA) -- Responding to a statement from the Venezuelan government that it plans to sell U.S. F-16 fighter jets to Iran, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack on Tuesday said such a transaction is not allowed.

" ... Anytime you have the sale of U.S. military equipment to a foreign government, there are clauses in there and agreements that are signed," McCormack said during a department briefing. "And part of those agreements are that without the written consent of the United States you cannot transfer these defense articles, in this case, F-16s, to a third country," and even if such a request were made, the United States would disapprove.

McCormack, noting that the United States this week decided to ban U.S. arms sales to Venezuela because that country was found to be not cooperating with the United States in the war on terrorism, said, "I am not sure that they want to add to that list: breaking international agreements".

Asked what the United States would do if Venezuela does sell F-16s to Iran, McCormack said, "We will cross the bridge when we come to it, if we do".

Venezuelan officials should focus on taking steps to fight terror "instead of throwing up sort of diversionary rhetoric and overheated rhetoric," McCormack said.

Venezuela has in the last year "developed a much closer and stronger intelligence-sharing relationship with the intelligence agencies of Iran and Cuba," McCormack said.

"We also have concerns about their failure to stop transit of certain individuals through Venezuela," he added. "We also have concerns about Venezuela serving as a transit point for types of arms. We have concerns about their links to the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and to the ELN (Colombian National Liberation Army)". (end)