[NYTr] British govt admits inviting oppressive regimes to arms fair

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by marcus (activ-l)

EKKLESIA - Sep 10, 2007
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/5671

[Brit] Government admits inviting oppressive regimes to arms fair

By staff writers

Information released this morning reveals that the Government has
invited a number of oppressive regimes to send representatives to an
arms fair in London which begins tomorrow.

China, Libya, Colombia, Russia and Saudi Arabia, all widely criticised
for severe human rights abuses, have been invited to the biennial fair
run by Reed Elsevier.

Reed is expected to struggle to sell the fair in a year that has seen
many businesses respond to public opinion by distancing themselves from
the arms trade.

The Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) is being held in
the Excel Centre from Tuesday 11 - Friday 14 September 2007.

Iraq has been invited as well as both India and Pakistan, who are in
tension with each other.

Following the revelations, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) repeated
its call for an end to DSEi.

A peaceful demonstration organised by CAAT will begin with a march from
Plaistow Park followed by a rally which will be addressed by the
comedian and writer Mark Thomas. He will be joined by CAAT's Anna
Jones, local councillor Alan Craig and Green Party mayoral candidate
Sian Berry.

Anna Jones of CAAT said: "The guest list reveals the real nature of
DSEi - a chance for arms companies to sell weapons with no regard to
human rights. I am confident that the British public respect human
rights and do not want their country hosting this event. Even DSEi's
owners have responded to public opinion and decided to sell it. It is
now vital that the Government recognises the strength of public feeling
and ensures that 2007 sees the end of DSEi."

Writer and comedian Mark Thomas said: "I attended the last DSEi, where
military delegations from human rights-abusing nations were well in
attendance, including China who had an official escort around the arms
fair, despite the fact that there is an EU embargo on selling arms to
China. The multitude of arms dealers gathered from around the world to
flog guns, bombs and the other wherewithal to take human life while
Londoners pay a #4million police bill to protect them makes DSEi
unacceptable and unwelcome."

The full list of countries invited to DSEi by the UK Government is as
follows: 

Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India,
Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea (South), Kuwait,
Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, UAE, USA and Vietnam.