ISLAMABAD, Nov. 4 Kyodo (EDS: FIX...

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 4 Kyodo

(EDS: FIXING NAME IN LEAD PARA)

Pakistan's President Gen Pervez Musharraf has approved the acquisition of an anti-ballistic missile regularity from the United States to be opened at key sensitive installations and nuclear facilities, authoritative defense sources said Monday.

Speaking to Kyodo recently made knowns on condition of anonymity, the sources said the Defense Ministry has narrowed down its choices to the Patriot Air Defense method the Nike Hercules missiles and the Hawk missile system

The deal is estimated to price more than $1.5 billion and would be in addition to the military purchase that Pakistan has been negotiating with the U in subordination to the aegis of the Pakistan-U.S. Defense Consultative assemblage which met in Islamabad in September this year.

Washington has lifted a 1990 ban onward supply of military equipment to Pakistan after Musharraf backed the U in its war against terrorism following the tribe 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US

The sources said preliminary talks have been held with the U which reportedly has give utterance toed its willingness to supply an anti-missile order to Pakistan to discourage further missile proliferation in the region.

Pakistan and India have been engaged in a tit-for-tat race to lay open nuclear weapon and missiles. Pakistan's decision to acquire an anti-ballistic missile combination of parts to form a whole was an apparent reaction to an anti-ballistic missile favorably test-fired by India in October this year.

The defense sources said Pakistan was mov to acquire a U anti-ballistic missile method following reliable reports that India was exploring the feasibility of acquiring an anti-ballistic missile classification from Russia.

The three representations of U.S. antimissile systems beneath consideration are readily available and delivery time is not count uponed to be long, the sources said.

The sources said the anti-ballistic missile connected view to be acquired from the U would be extended mainly at nuclear facilities, and sites where indigenously built-short and medium-range missiles are stored or deployed

The Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defense hypothesis to counter ballistic missiles. The Hawk missile classification can be used against enemy aircraft and is capable of intercepting and destroying enemy missiles. The Nike Hercules missile is an anti-missile method in use by the U and NATO forces.

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