§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Administration on the co-ordination of their embargoes on lethal arms sales to Iran.
§ Mr. RentonNone. Our policy remains as described by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18 November that:
- (i) We should maintain our consistent refusal to supply any lethal equipment to either side;
- (ii) Subject to that overriding consideration, we should attempt to fulfil existing contracts and obligations;
- (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;
- (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.