Pakistan said Monday, February 29 at the start of talks with the United States that a contentious sale of F-16 fighter jets would strengthen the South Asian nation's ability to mount counter-terrorist operations and promote regional stability, the Associated Press reports.

The U.S. government this month approved the sale of the aircraft, radar and electronic warfare equipment to Pakistan in a deal worth nearly $700 million.

Neighboring India, a historic rival of Pakistan, opposes the sale, which has also drawn criticism from some U.S. lawmakers. Congress could potentially block the deal although such action is rare.

Pakistani Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz said he appreciated the U.S. leadership's public assessment that Pakistan uses F-16s effectively against terrorists.

Secretary of State John Kerry last week told a House committee that Pakistan's existing fleet of F-16s have been critical for its counter-terrorism fight on the western border with Afghanistan.

But Aziz urged the Obama administration to do more "to bring Congress fully in the picture about the positive steps taken by Pakistan to further our mutual interests and the very significant change in ground realities that has taken place in the past two-and-a-half years."