HL Deb 14 December 1999 vol 608 cc25-6WA
Lord Hughes of Woodside

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have granted a licence for the export of electrical firing cable to the HALO Trust in Kosovo. [HL340]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The Government have granted a licence for the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of' 7 x 500 metre lengths of electrical firing cable for use by the HALO Trust, an organisation engaged in humanitarian demining activities in Kosovo on behalf of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNM I K ). These goods are on the UK's Military List.

UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1160 imposed an arms embargo on the FRY. The only exception to this embargo is that in UNSCR 1244, which provides that prohibitions imposed by UNSCR 1160 shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo. We have notified the UN Sanctions Committee of this export and they have raised no objection. The export of this equipment required for demining purposes is not prohibited by the EU arms embargo.