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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, May 27, 2002

Britain Denies Suspending Arms Export to India and Pakistan

The British government on Monday denied reports that it had suspended arms sales to India and Pakistan, but said it would continue to apply strict rules to export license applications for the two nations with tensions in the region very high.


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The British government on Monday denied reports that it had suspended arms sales to India and Pakistan, but said it would continue to apply strict rules to export license applications for the two nations with tensions in the region very high.

"We have always had very stringent rules about sales to India and Pakistan. There has been no change in that policy," said a spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defense (MoD).

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Monday that Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt signed an order last week on suspending export licenses to the troubled region amid concern over a possible war between the two countries over the disputed region of Kashmir.

Other newspapers said that the export block threatened to derail talks between a British defense industry and the Indian government on the sale of around 60 Hawk trainer aircraft worth anestimated one billion pounds (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars).

In dismissing the suggestion, the spokesman said: "The Hawk is not a combat aircraft. It would only be used for training and would not be used in a combat situation."

"The government continues to monitor the situation in India andPakistan very closely. It is considering export licenses very carefully and on a case-by-case basis in the light of the latest developments," said a spokesman in the Trade and Industry Department.


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