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'No suspension of Hawk deal'

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON MAY 27. Amid speculation and confusion over the future of arms supplies to India and Pakistan, the British Government today insisted that there was no arms embargo and nor had any decision been taken to freeze the one billion pound Hawk deal with India.

At a press conference this morning, the Foreign Office Minister, Ben Bradshaw, firmly contradicted media reports suggesting that the deal had been "blocked'' as part of an embargo on arms sales to India and Pakistan in view of the tension in the region. He attributed the reports to a "misunderstanding'' and when asked specifically whether the Hawk deal was off for now, he said: "No''. The reports were also denied by Defence Ministry sources and the Department of Trade and Industry which handles arms exports licences.

Mr. Bradshaw clarified that there was already a "consolidated'' European Union criterion which prohibited issuing of arms exports licences in situations where there was a risk that the weapons would be put to aggressive use. This was applied on a case-to-case basis and a whole range of items not regarded as aggressive were exempt. The Trade and Industry Department said: "There are no plans for an arms embargo. However, the situation in the region is taken fully into account in considering export licence decisions.''

Defence Ministry sources were quoted as saying that Hawks were jet trainers and did not fall into the category of aggressive weaponry. An official with BAe Systems which manufactures Hawks said that even if a decision to suspend the deal was taken it would not affect them because in any case supplies would be able to go out only in 2004.

Earlier, Indian diplomatic sources said nothing had been communicated to them. "We have seen reports and are trying to get the details from the departments concerned. "If the reports are true, we are obviously disappointed at the implications of a delay in defence supplies at this crucial stage,'' a senior diplomat said.

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