§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make urgent representations to the United States Government concerning the proposed authorisation of the sale of military aircraft, armoured cars, artillery, light machine guns, mortars and ammunition to Guatemala under the foreign military sales cash programme, as outlined in the United States Department of Defence "Congressional Presentation Document: Security Assistance Fiscal Year 1981", in view of the possible danger of such equipment to the safety and security of Belize.
§ Mr. LuceThe document to which the hon. Member refers was submitted to Congress in February 1980 as a forecast of possible requests for arms sales and military training from foreign Governments. Any actual requests for arms sales are considered separately by the administration on their merits. The United States Government are well aware of Her Majesty's Government's concern that they should not sell military arms, equipment or ammunition to Guatemala as long as the Guatemalan armed forces maintain their threat against Belize and the defensive British garrison stationed there.