JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Antony Blinken moved quickly, saying the process of selling F-35 fighter jets was ready to continue with the UAE, after the country announced the postponement of purchase discussions, amid competition between the US and China, two countries that have relations with the Emirates.
A UAE official on Tuesday told Reuters they had told the United States it would suspend discussions to acquire the F-35 fighter jets, part of a $23 billion deal that includes drones and other advanced munitions.
The official cited "technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis" as reasons that prompted a reassessment of the deal by the UAE government.
The UAE has signed an agreement to buy 50 F-35 fighter jets and up to 18 armed drones, people familiar with the situation told Reuters in January.
Speaking at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, Blinken said Washington should do some review.
"We want to make sure, for example, that our commitment to Israel's qualitative military excellence is assured, so we want to make sure we can conduct a thorough review of any technology that is sold or transferred to other partners in the region, including the UAE," Blinken said. December.
"But I think we continue to prepare to continue (talks) if the UAE continues to pursue these two things," he said.
Previously, sales of 50 F-35 fighter jets made by the UAE's Lockheed Martinke had slowed, amid Washington's concerns over Abu Dhabi's relations with China, including Huawei's use of 5G technology in the country.
"Technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions and cost/benefit analysis lead to a reassessment," the UAE official said in a statement to Reuters confirming a report in the Wall Street Journal.
"The US remains the UAE's provider of choice for advanced defense requirements and discussions for the F-35 may reopen in the future," the official continued, adding there were discussions to "address joint defense security conditions for acquisition."
Separately, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US partnership with the UAE was more strategic and complex than arms sales, with Washington committed to working with Abu Dhabi to answer their questions.
"We will always emphasize, as a statutory requirement and policy, on various end-use requirements," explains Kirby.
He added that a meeting between US and UAE officials at the Pentagon this weekend will cover a broad topic, but anticipates that arms sales will emerge.
Meanwhile, a State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Biden administration was committed to the proposed sale of the F-35 aircraft along with the MQ-9B and munitions.
"We hope we can address the unresolved issues," the official said.
The US government has repeatedly pushed the UAE to bring down Huawei Technologies Co. China from its telecommunications network, and claims that the technology could pose a security risk to its weapons systems.
"The F-35 is our crown jewel in the United States, our air force, so we need to be able to protect technology security for all of our partners," Mira Resnick, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Regional Security, told CNN's Becky Anderson last week, responding. the question of whether the UAE should choose between Huawei and the F-35.
"This is a conversation we have with the Emirates about the choices they can make now to ensure they can be part of the F-35 program," added Resnick.
However, UAE officials are skeptical about US claims of potential security breaches and have expressed anxiety about being caught up in a 'new Cold War' between a major trading partner and a key strategic ally.
"What we are concerned about is the fine line between acute competition (between China and the US) and a new Cold War," said Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE leadership.
"Because I think we, as a small country, will be negatively affected by this, but will not have any ability to influence this competition even positively."
Gargash also confirmed reports the UAE had closed the Chinese facility on US suspicions it was being used for military purposes, although the UAE disagreed with the US characterization of the site.
"The UAE's view is that this particular facility is in no way construed as a military facility. However, the US has its concerns and we are taking these American concerns into account and halting work on these facilities," he said.
"But our position remains the same. That the facility is not really a military facility. But then again, you have your main ally's concerns, and I think it would be foolish for you not to address your ally's concerns," he concluded.
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