No tension with Pakistan, US says after sanctioning firms for ‘aiding’ ballistic missile program

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The US State Department said on Thursday there were no tensions with Pakistan following Washington’s move to impose sanctions on four international firms for supplying to the South Asian nation’s ballistic missile program.

In a press release issued last Friday, the US State Department announced sanctions against three Chinese companies and one Belarus-based firm on charges they supplied items to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.

Pakistan has said it rejects the “political use of export controls.”

“Absolutely not … Pakistan continues to be one of our most important partners in the region,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters in response to a question about tensions between Washington and Islamabad following the sanctions.

“There continues to be a lot of cooperation that we have with the Government of Pakistan, especially in the security space, especially in the trade sector … This is a robust relationship and we’ll look to continue strengthening it.”

The companies listed by the US for sanctions are the China-based Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co. Ltd, Granpect Company Limited and Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.

The sanctions mean all property and interests in property of the companies in the US or in possession or control of American citizens are blocked and must be reported to the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), according to the State Department.

They also mean that all transactions by American citizens, or those within (or transiting) the US that involve any property or interests in property of the companies, are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC.

courtesy : arab news