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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place on the lifting of the arms embargo on China with the Governments of (a) France, (b) the USA, (c) the EU and (d) China; and what assessment has been made of the likely impact on the security situation in the South China seas. [192050] Mr. Rammell: The review of the EU arms embargo was announced by the European Council on 12 December 2003. The issue was last discussed by EU Foreign Ministers at the 11 October 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), and will revert to a future GAERC. In recent contacts with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, US and Chinese Ministers have expressed an interest in the review of the embargo. However, the review and any decisions arising from it are to be undertaken by the EU only. The EU will take all relevant factors into account in the review. The Government does not wish to pre-empt the conclusion of the review. The Government continues to implement the arms embargo as set out by the then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the late Derek Fatchett, in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, East (Jane Griffiths) on 3 June 1998, Official Report, columns 246-47.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c751W; 192050

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Arms trade Defence equipment China Export controls EU action EU external trade France Security USA Sanctions South China Sea

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk