3 Dec 2008
BRASILIA: Brazilian authorities on Tuesday gave approval for the sale of 100 missiles to Pakistan which can be used in air-to-surface attacks on radar tracking instalations, Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said.
The MAR-1 medium-range missiles made by the Brazilian firm Mectron are tactical anti-radiation weapons whose existence was kept under wraps for many years, according to Jane's Information Group.
Jobim called them "very effective ways to monitor" areas flown by war planes, and said the deal with Pakistan, originally signed in April this year, was worth 85 million euros (108 million dollars).
He dismissed suggestions that the transaction might be questioned in light of last week's Islamist extremist massacre perpetrated in Mumbai, India, which some Indian officials suspected was launched from within Pakistan.
"Brazil negotiates with Pakistan, not with Pakistani terrorists," he said. "To cancel this deal would be to attribute terrorist activities to the Pakistani government."