FOREIGN Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday insisted arms sales to Saudi Arabia would continue despite outcry over the kingdom’s role in the war in Yemen.
The Gulf state, which leads a coalition against Houthi rebels in the impoverished country, has been accused of breaching international humanitarian law (IHL) by targeting civilian areas and medical centres.
The UK has also been implicated in the bloody conflict by its continuing sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, which is said to have used UK-made weapons and planes to launch airstrikes against non-combatants.
Yesterday Johnson said the government found no “clear risk” that the weapons were being used to violate international rules and that the trade would not stop.
All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.
“The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to IHL is whether there is a clear risk that those weapons might be used in a commission of a serious violation of IHL," he said. "Having regard to all the information available to us, we assess that this test has not been met.”
Johnson also repeated the government’s assertion that Saudi Arabia is best placed to investigate any allegations made against it of breaches of IHL.
“They have the best insight into their own military procedures and will be able to conduct the most thorough and conclusive investigations," he added. "It will also allow the coalition forces to understand what went wrong and apply the lessons learnt in the best possible way.”
The SNP’s Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, who has repeatedly pressed the government on the issue, used a parliamentary debate to urge ministers to “remove their heads from the sand”.
She said: “Hospitals are being bombed and civilians are bearing the brunt of the bombing – we are now beyond hollow rhetoric. We need an urgent independent investigation, we need answers and we need action to end the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Yemen.”
Yemen-born Keith Vaz, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on the country, said the nation is “bleeding to death” and questioned Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood on food aid.
Ellwood conceded that less than half of the country’s food needs were met in July, with less than one quarter of its fuel needs fulfilled.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here