§ Mr. ColemanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UK will continue to impose an arms embargo on Afghanistan in line with the EU's Common Position of 17 December 1996. [98111]
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§ Mr. HainWe remain committed to the EU arms embargo against Afghanistan which the UK interprets as covering all goods and technology entered on Part III to Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended.
Following consultations with this Department and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry has issued three licences for the export of mine clearance equipment for use by the United Nations and The Halo Trust to aid their demining activities in Afghanistan. The grant of these licences is for humanitarian purposes.