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Foreign Office publishes 10th annual report on strategic export controls

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE News Release issued by The Government News Network on 24 July 2007

Commenting on the publication of the 10th Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, Foreign Office Minister, Dr Kim Howells, said:

"The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls was introduced by this Government to enable Parliament and the public to hold us to account. This will be the Government's tenth report (the first was published in 1997). The annual report and our regular in-year quarterly reports are recognised worldwide as models for open and comprehensive presentations of strategic export control policy. We are proud of our defence export licensing system, which is one of the most rigorous in the world.

"The Government has recently announced a major review of export control secondary legislation, which will consider both the effectiveness of current controls and the case for further change. We co-operate fully with the relevant parliamentary committees that scrutinise export control decisions.

"We have a productive dialogue with the NGOs who play a useful role in highlighting the humanitarian and economic costs of unregulated trade in arms. We also foster a good relationship with the UK defence industry.
"Since 2005 the UK has promoted the moral, humanitarian and developmental case for a legally-binding international Arms Trade Treaty to tackle this trade more effectively. We have already secured broad support for work towards a treaty within the United Nations (153 countries voted in December 2006 to start a UN process in the UN General Assembly). Since then, over 90 countries have submitted specific ideas on the shape and scope of a treaty to the UN Secretary General. The UK will continue to push for an arms trade treaty in the coming years to make it a reality".

Notes for Editors:

The Government's 2006 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls is published today 24 July 2007 as a Command Paper. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament. The Report describes UK policy and international developments in export control regimes, as well as including information on licensing decisions made during 2006.

The report will be available on the FCO website at:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391422

Press Office, Downing Street (West), London SW1A 2AL