UK-US defence trade cooperation still under negotiation
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, Oct 25, IRNA
UK Treaty-US Defence Trade
The UK government has revealed that it is still in the process of detailing defence trade cooperation with the US, which includes the transfer of sensitive component parts for Washington's national missile defence and nuclear weapons systems.
"The detailed arrangements for the Defence Trade Co-operation Treaty are still under negotiation," Defence Secretary Des Browne said.
"The Treaty will operate alongside the existing UK export control regime and transfers of controlled components will be subject to the current arrangements," Browne said.
In a written parliamentary reply published Thursday, he also said that controls on exports from the United States "are a matter for the US Government."
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair signed a treaty with US President George W Bush just days before leaving office in June that sought to end the requirement to grant an individual export license for every piece of American defence equipment and technology.
The Ministry of Defence described the new agreement as "real breakthrough" and said it was a "very positive development in UK and US cooperation builds on the progress we made on the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) programme at the end of last year."
In a separate reply, the Defence Secretary refused a request to place a copy of the NATO and Egypt Individual Cooperation Programme in the British parliamentary library, saying its release "would be likely to prejudice international relations."
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