UK 'clearing backlog' of arms licence applications for Israel
London, July 22, IRNA -- The process of approving arms export
licences for Israel was reported to have picked up following the
resolution of Britain 'soft' embargo on military equipment.
Jane's Defence Weekly quoted Israeli diplomatic sources saying
that they foresaw "no further problems" following Ariel Sharon's
visit to London earlier this month.
A British Trade Department spokesman also confirmed that the
government was "working hard to clear the backlog," but insisted that
"one shouldn't read into this a change in UK policy." Arms licences
were said to be still assessed on a "case-by-case basis."
British arms sales to Israel have included components for Apache
helicopters, Merkava tanks, F-16 fighter jets, airborne electronic
warfare equipment, anti-armour missiles, assault rifles, ammunition
and armoured personnel carriers converted from Centurion tanks.
The latest figures from the British Foreign Office suggest that
the approval of arms export licences for Israel started to
dramatically increase in the last two months of last year despite
showing a sharp fall in the number issued during 2002.
Jane's quoted a supplier of British engines for unmanned aircraft
saying that in the last two weeks he had seen a "700 percent increase"
in activity related to export licences, including Israel.
Report of a 'soft' embargo being imposed against Israel coincided
with the UK government insisting that it was assessing licences "on a
case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms
Export Licensing criteria in the light of the circumstance prevailing
at the time."
It came after Foreign Secretary Jack Straw revealed in March 2002
that he had evidence that the Zionist regime was using British
military equipment against the Palestinians in the occupied
territories, contrary to a written guarantee.
UK regulations also insist that export licences should not be
issued where there is a "a clear risk that the items might be used in
international repression, international aggression, adversely affect
regional stability or prolong internal conflict."
Between January 1 and November 7 last year, Britain approved 67
Standard Individual Licences for Israel, of these 53 were issued in
the first three months of 2002.
The Foreign Office's annual report of Strategic Exports for last
year shows that based on these figures the number of licences
approved increased to 94 during the rest of November and December.
HC/BH/RR
End
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
