§ Lord Kilbrackenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will oppose the proposed sale of up to 70 Hawk aircraft by British Aerospace to the Iraqi Government, since they could easily be adapted for the continuation of chemical warfare against Kurdish civilians in Iraq.
§ Lord TrefgarneIt is not the general practice to comment on defence equipment sales to specific countries, but, as was stated in another place on 14th July by my honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Vol. 156, col. 1259), no decision has been reached on this matter.
All defence sales to Iraq continue to be considered in the light of the guidelines announced by my right honourable and learned friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary in another place on 29th October 1985 (Vol. 84, col. 450). The proposal to sell the Hawk aircraft will be carefully considered in the context of these guidelines and of the prevailing circumstances.