UK Government ignoring regulations on regional stability, human rights and military spending
Campaigners believe that a multi-billion pound deal to supply Saudi Arabia with Typhoon fighter jets, announced today by the UK Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems, could breach the UKs own arms trade rules. These are supposed to prohibit arms sales which might unbalance regional peace and stability, and restrict arms deals involving countries which disrespect human rights and international law, or engage in excessive military spending. Campaigners are calling upon the UK Government not to exempt the Government-to-Government deal from the rules, an exemption they say would be grossly hypocritical.
The EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports[1] require the UK:
-
To restrict arms exports to countries where
(Criterion Two)serious violations of human rights
take place - Last year Amnesty International reported an escalation of the
already dire human rights situation in the country
, with increased killings by Saudi security forces, and routine arrests and torture of political dissidents.[2] -
Not to engage in arms sales which would
(Criterion Four)affect adversely regional stability in any significant way
- Saudi Arabia continues to arm itself massively against its neighbours; increasing military build-up in the Arabian peninsula is likely to damage peaceful confidence-building measures in the Middle East.
-
To promote
(Criterion Eight)the least diversion for armaments of human and economic resources
, and to take into account levels of military and social spending in recipient countries - Saudi Arabian military spending from 1997-2003 (the last year of available figures) was the highest in the Middle East, consuming an average 11% of its GDP (five times that of the UK and over 3 times that of the USA).[3]
The Serious Fraud Office is also currently investigating allegations that BAE Systems, the main beneficiary of the new fighter deal, operated a £60m slush fund
for Saudi officials involved in Britain’s previous major arms deal with the regime.[4]
Mike Lewis, a spokesperson for the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, said:
This is the final nail in the coffin for New Labour’s
ethical foreign policy. The Government began this year by announcing its support for a treaty to prevent weapons sales to human rights abusers. It has ended it by brokering a massive arms deal with one of the most repressive regimes in the world.
For information or interview, contact Campaign Against Arms Trade, 020 7281 0297, media(at)caat·org·uk
Notes
- EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports
- Amnesty International 2005 Human Rights Report
- SIPRI Military Expenditure Database
-
Arrests in BAE-Saudi investigation
, The Guardian (UK), September 15 2005
