Washington: The US military's mistaken delivery to Taiwan of electrical fuses for an intercontinental ballistic missile is raising questions over US relations with China and has triggered a broad investigation into the security of Pentagon weapons.

The shipment did not include nuclear materials, but the error is particularly sensitive because China vehemently opposes US arms sales to Taiwan. Four of the cone-shaped fuses were shipped to Taiwanese officials in late 2006 instead of helicopter batteries that they had ordered.

Despite quarterly checks of the inventory, defence officials said they never knew the fuses were gone. Only after months of discussions with Taiwan about the missing batteries did the Pentagon finally realise, late last week, the gravity of what had happened.

On Taiwan, officials of the American Institute in Taiwan, which serves as the US government's official presence on the island, discussed the mistake with appropriate Taiwan authorities and expressed appreciation for their help in bringing the problem to US attention, the state department said yesterday in a statement. It also said the officials explained US efforts to resolve the situation.

Once the error was discovered, the military quickly recovered the four fuses. How it happened, and whether the incident constitutes a violation of any treaty or agreement governing international sales of missile technology, were lingering questions. It was the second nuclear-related mistake involving the US Air Force in recent months. Last August an Air Force B-52 bomber flew across several US states carrying six cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

Source : PTI