Azerbaijan and Armenia: OSCE Arms Embargo

HL Deb 22 October 2002 vol 639 c95WA

Lord Kirkhill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will continue to uphold the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe embargo on the export of weapons and military equipment to Azerbaijan. [HL6024]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Her Majesty's Government remain committed to the OSCE arms embargo against both Azerbaijan and Armenia, which we interpret as covering all goods and technology controlled under entries in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, commonly known as the military list.

In September 2002, the Government approved an export licence application for demining vests for the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Actions.

In January 2002 the Government approved a similar request for protective jackets for demining operations to Azerbaijan.

The decision was made in accordance with our practice occasionally to make an exemption to our interpretation of the embargo by approving exports of non-lethal military goods to humanitarian, media or peacekeeping organisations where it is clear that the embargo was not intended to prevent those exports and there is a strong humanitarian case for them.