UK must honor arms contracts with RI<\/p>\n
LONDON (AFP): Britain must honor contracts to supply Hawk jets
\nand armored cars to Indonesia despite its record of human rights
\nviolation, or pay hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties,
\ngovernment sources said.<\/p>\n
However, in line with Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's focus on
\nhuman rights in his new foreign policy, criteria for such future
\nsales will be considerably tighter than under the previous
\nConservative government, the sources said late Thursday.<\/p>\n
A formal announcement on the contracts was to be made before
\nparliament adjourns for the summer recess next Thursday.<\/p>\n
The controversy concerns a 160-million-pound (US$256 million)
\nBritish Aerospace deal to sell 16 Hawk fighter aircraft to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
There has also been controversy over an Alvis contract to
\nexport 150 million pounds ($240 million) worth of Saracen light
\ntanks, as well as the sale of water cannon for use in crowd
\ncontrol.<\/p>\n
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell
\nsaid, "Changing the rules will bring no comfort to the people of
\nIndonesia whose legitimate democratic rights are being suppressed
\nby their government or to those living in East Timor who have
\nbeen systematically deprived of their freedom.<\/p>\n
"A government which puts human rights at the heart of its
\nforeign policy ought to be willing to take the consequences."<\/p>\n
Government sources said ministers had been advised they would
\nhave to prove that the situation on the ground in Indonesia had
\nchanged materially since the previous government approved export
\nlicenses for the jets and armored cars if the contracts were to
\nbe blocked without financial penalty.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/uk-must-honor-arms-contracts-with-ri-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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