Press Release
FAO: Newsdesks - 23rd May 2001
Arms Exports to Israel
CAAT are concerned that - in the current bout of electioneering - little attention has been paid to the UK's role in arming the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). CAAT are calling on the government to urgently make clear the UK's position with regards to this sensitive issue. When asked why Military List Open Licences had been granted in 1998 and 1999, Robin Cook replied that these licences were only allowed because they coincided 'with a time of optimism in the peace process'.
The present climate is considerably different.
Military list SIEL's (Standard Industry Export Licenses) granted between 1 January and 31 October 2000 include:
ML1 (1 x SIEL and 2 x Open Individual Export Licences, OIEL) - Arms and automatic weapons with a calibre of 12.7 mm or less and accessories. Such as: rifles, revolvers, pistols, machine guns and silencers.
ML3 (9 x SIEL's) - Ammunition for weapons specified in ML1.
ML5 (24 x SIEL's) - Fire control and warning technologies. Such as: weapons sights, bombing computers, gun laying equipment, target acquisition, and range-finding technologies.
ML10 (38 x SIEL's) - Aircraft and aircraft equipment related goods. Such as: combat aircraft and their components, aero-engines.
ML15 (9 x SIEL's) - Imaging or countermeasure equipment. Such as: recorders, cameras, infrared or thermal imaging equipment specially designed for military use.
CAAT calls for the cessation of military list exports to the conflict region of Israel-Palestine.
ENDS
For more information please contact Richard Bingley +44-(0)-20 7281 0297
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