Cameron’s Gulf jaunt shows the UK prioritises Eurofighter deals over human rights

Despite mounting concerns about human rights abuses, David Cameron continues to promote UK weapons sales in the Gulf States, visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lobby for a £6 billion pound deal for BAE Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. This follows a £2.5 billion deal with Oman and further potential sales with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, priority markets for UK weaponry despite their authoritarian regimes and poor human rights records.

The UAE visit (for which a schedule has not been made available) is part of Mr Cameron’s trip to India and Sri Lanka and will coincide with the Dubai Air Show an international exhibition of military and civil aircraft. The RAF Red Arrows team, used as a marketing opportunity for the Eurofighter, are in Dubai as part of their five-week Middle East tour, covering Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

CAAT spokesperson Kaye Stearman said:

Once again David Cameron acts as cheerleader for private sector arms companies, most particularly BAE Systems. When the UK sells these deadly weapons, whether they be fighter jets or assault rifles, they are conferring legitimacy on illegitimate and undemocratic regimes. In effect, they are saying that these regimes can abuse human rights with impunity and that the arms deals buys UK tolerance of their abuses.

Meanwhile in London, there have been a series of government meetings and events to cement the UK’s already close relationship with Bahrain’s abusive government, and lay the ground for further arms sales, including a Eurofighter deal.

On 11 November, the Bahrain Society held a dinner at Claridges, hosted by Prince Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, a Royal Guard commander who has been accused of personal involvement in torture. The dinner was attended by representatives of the military and diplomatic corps and UK Trade & Investment and senior political figures.

On Tuesday 12 November, there was a meeting of the UK-Bahrain joint working group, including a discussions between Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robinson and Bahrain Foreign Minister Prince Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Khalifa.

On Wednesday 13 November, an International Fighter conference took place, with a representative from the Bahrain Air Force.

CAAT Campaigner Sarah Waldron said:

The crackdown in Bahrain has intensified, yet the UK does not speak out against the abuses that are daily committed by government forces. Rather, it woos the ruling family with diplomatic meetings, military co-operation, conference invitations and celebration dinners. In the three months April-June the UK licensed £9m worth of weaponry to Bahrain but the big prize is selling the Eurofighters. This is a disgraceful situation.

ENDS

Notes

1. The Gulf states are noted for having some of the world’s most undemocratic governments. Saudi Arabia was listed as a country of concern in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual report on Human Rights and Democracy 2012. although it was simultaneously listed as a priority market for arms sales by UKTI Defence & Security Organisation. Saudi Arabia’s ranking in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index 2012 declined further to 163 out of 167 countries, and it was given zero points for electoral process and pluralism. Bahrain was ranked 150, the UAE 149, Qatar 138, Oman 135 and Kuwait 119.
2. Recent months have seen new abuses revealed in the four states. The past week has seen a Saudi crackdown on migrant workers, with thousands arrested and two reported deaths. In July the UAE saw a mass trial and jailing of dissidents linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, with a similar trial starting on 5 November. In both cases, the accused said that they had been subject to torture. The government of Oman has jailed democracy activists and there are severe restrictions on freedom of expression. In Bahrain, there has been continuous state repression of the Shia majority, with arrests, imprisonment and torture, and widespread use of tear gas and birdshot against protesters.
3. Deals to equip Gulf states with military aircraft are by far the most prominent and profitable arms deals. The £40 billion Al Yamamah deal of the 1980s saw British Aerospace (which later became BAE Systems) equip and service Tornado and Hawk fighter jets for the Saudi Arabian Airforce. In 2007, Saudi Arabia contracted to buy 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, from BAE Systems, in a deal worth up to £6 billion. Although the first 24 jets were delivered and arrangements put in place for servicing, upgrading and delivering the remaining 48 aircraft, a final price has yet to be agreed. In November 2012 David Cameron visited Saudi Arabia in an attempt to seal the deal – however, the negotiations continue. The Cameron government has been keen to sell Eurofighter Typhoons to other Gulf states. In 2012, Oman agreed a £2.5 billion deal for Typhoon and Hawk jet trainers, In addition to UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar are prime targets for orders.
4. David Cameron has made two visits to Saudi Arabia as Prime Minister, in January 2012 and November 2012, which also included a visit to UAE. In December 2012, Cameron visited Oman to mark the Eurofighter deal. In March 2013, Prince Charles visited Saudi Arabia to support UK political and military ties.
5. Gulf rulers have been feted when they visited London. In December 2011 and again in August 2013, the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, met with David Cameron at Downing Street. He also attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show with the Queen in May 2013.
6. The Prime Minister and members of his government have consistently said that they want to support UK arms sales. In a speech in December 2012, David Cameron defended UK sales to Gulf states saying:
   

   I understand why some people are a bit squeamish about me flying off around the world to help our defence industry… [but] with 300,000 jobs [dependent on the defence industry], it’s right we should be at the forefront of this market, supporting British jobs and British allies and that’s why last week, in the Gulf, I was pushing for new contracts for Typhoon jets worth billions of pounds and thousands of jobs. That’s vital new business for Britain. And I make no apology for going out there and trying to help win it.

   As usual, the government’s figures for the numbers of jobs accounted for by military industries were highly inflated.

7. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) works to end the international arms trade. The arms business has a devastating impact on human rights and society and damages economic development. Large-scale military procurement and arms exports only reinforce a militaristic approach to international problems. In 2012, CAAT was awarded a Right Livelihood Award – the Alternative Nobel Prize – for its innovative and effective campaigning against the arms trade.