China refutes trespass claims

• Source: Global Times
• [05:07 September 10 2009]
• Comments

Weapon secrets leaked?

In another development, Indian authorities declared Wednesday that they would "facilitate" an early release for the crew of a United Arab Emirates Air Force plane detained in Kolkata.

Joyati Ghosh, an India Central Industrial Security Force commandant, indicated in a statement that as a result of the India and UAE relationship, the aircraft would be released soon.

"The flight will be released Wednesday afternoon at the earliest," an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters in a press release.

The nine-member crew was staying in a hotel under tight security, an anonymous official from the MFA revealed.

The Indian government detained the plane Sunday when it discovered arms and explosives onboard without an earlier declaration of its cargo.

"Accordingly, after the concurrence of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft, customs officials entered the aircraft to inquire about the nature of the cargo," according to a Tuesday statement by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

The captain of the flight, Major Ibrahim Alshamsei filed a declaration to Indian customs stating that the flight was carrying arms, ammunition and/or explosives, and also provided details about the cargo that consists of combat missiles, the ministry said.

Dai Xu, a renowned military expert, said that the actions by Indian authorities violated diplomatic rights as the cargo on board belong to China.

"Any inspection onboard, which may have violated China's property rights and constituted spying on its military secrets, should be approved by both the UAE and China," Dai said.

An unnamed military source told the Global Times the UAE airplane was on a mission transporting Chinese arms from an arms expo in Abu Dhabi.

When the airplane stopped in Kolkata Sunday to refuel, the UAE crew member used the empty cargo certificate it used when it flew to China to carry the weapons at the beginning.