HL Deb 30 June 2003 vol 650 c59WA
Lord Graham of Edmonton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any goods subject to the OSCE arms embargo have recently been approved for export to Armenia. [HL3634]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Her Majesty's Government remain committed to the OSCE arms embargo against both Azerbaijan and Armenia, which we interpret as covering all goods and technology controlled under entries in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 (commonly known as the military list).

In June 2003, the Government approved an export licence application for demining equipment for the HALO Trust for demining operations in Armenia.

The decision was made in accordance with our practice occasionally to make an exemption to our interpretation of the embargo by approving exports of non-lethal military goods to humanitarian, media or peacekeeping organisations where it is clear that the embargo was not intended to prevent those exports and there is a strong humanitarian case for them.