HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc691-2W
Ms Ward

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement in light of the recent press reports on the shipment of arms to Ethiopia and Eritrea. [55186]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

We are aware of reports of shipments of arms from China to Ethiopia, and from Bulgaria to Eritrea on a Ukranian aircraft. We are seeking to establish whether these arms were ordered before or after the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea had broken out.

There are no arms embargoes against either Ethiopia or Eritrea. But we are nevertheless extremely concerned that both countries, two of the poorest in the world, should apparently be seeking to rearm themselves at a time when the OAU, supported by the United Nations and the EU, are engaged in mediation efforts to settle their dispute by peaceful means.

We remind all countries who might be considering supplying arms to either Ethiopia or Eritrea of their responsibility to exercise responsibility in the transfer of conventional arms in line with their international commitments.