France to provide Tiger combat helicopters to Pak

Islamabad, July 3 (ANI): France has agreed to provide Pakistan Tiger combat helicopters and other sophisticated military equipments to strengthen its abilities in taking on the rampant Taliban.

The Military Personal Staff Advisor to French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, Admiral Edouard Guillaud, who is heading a delegation here, said that the combat helicopters to be provided by France will be equipped with ground-to-ground missiles with semi-active laser seekers with a range of over eight kilometers.

The helicopters are fitted with advanced radars and can also be equipped with anti-tank missiles, The Dawn reports.

Admiral Guillaud held a series of meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani and several other top officials here.

A French Embassy official said that the visit of the delegation was a follow-up to the recent France visit of Zardari and General Kayani.

The official said both France and Pakistan share a common goal against extremism, and the visits were aimed at bolstering bilateral ties in the field of defense and security between both nations.

"The fight against terrorism is a key matter of concern for the international community. Within the framework of our common goal to fight terrorism, this visit aims at strengthening our bilateral cooperation in the field of defence and security," he said.

The official said that during the delegation's meeting with Zardari, the two sides decided to extend ties, primarily in the field of defense, and the use of civilian nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. (ANI)