HL Deb 08 May 1989 vol 507 cc537-8WA
Lord Kilbracken

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether Lord Glenarthur's statement on 20th April that, "British Arms supplies to both Iraq and Iran continue to be governed by very strict guidelines preventing the supply of lethal equipment to either side" (Official Report col. 867) means that no arms of any description may be supplied; or, if not, what arms are considered non-lethal.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)

The guidelines on the export of armaments to Iran and Iraq were announced by my right honourable and learned friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in another place on 29th October 1985. These were as follows:

  1. (i) We should maintain our consistent refusal to supply any lethal equipment to either side;
  2. (ii) Subject to that overriding consideration, we should attempt to fulfil existing contracts and obligations;
  3. (iii) We should not, in future, approve orders for any defence equipment which, in our view, would significantly enhance the capability of either side to prolong or exacerbate the conflict;
  4. (iv) In line with this policy, we should continue to scrutinise rigorously all applications for export licences for the supply of defence equipment to Iran and Iraq.

The guidelines are kept under constant review, and are applied on a case-by-case basis in the light of prevailing circumstances, including the ceasefire and developments in the peace negotiations.