§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions are going on bilaterally among the NATO allies, or within NATO, about the desirability of relaxing the various countries' export control regimes that cover the export of commercial items with military applications, and whether a general policy is being developed that will ensure that the probable reductions in national and allied demand for military equipment will not be accompanied by an expansion in the sales of such equipment (including licences) to other countries.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Brabazon of Tara)Discussions are taking place within COCOM (whose membership includes all NATO countries, less Iceland) on possible changes to the COCOM controls on dual-use items. The aim will be to ensure that the COCOM controls continue to protect the West's strategic security interests while not covering items that can694WA safely be decontrolled or made subject to less rigid control.
Our policy is to support the sale of British military equipment overseas wherever this is compatible with the UK's political, strategic and security interests. This policy is based on the right of other countries to protect their independence and to exercise their rights to self-defence as embodied in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Our stringent licensing controls on all arms exports will continue to be carefully applied.