Minister Claims Britain Cannot Prevent British Multinationals Supplying Egypt’s Military with Tear Gas

What I think Egypt’s revolutionaries will like about the British Minister’s response.

1. His assurance that Britain continues to monitor the human rights situation in Egypt.
2. His obviously deep concern about the protection of and rights of Copts under any new constitution.
3. His assurance that the British government is encouraging SCAF to keep to its’ timetable for the transition to civilian rule. (This letter was written prior to the “judicial coup” of 14 June).
4. His affirmation that the British government hopes to see a new Egyptian constitution which respects the interests of “all Egyptian people.”

However Egypt’s revolutionaries and liberals will be less encouraged by

1. His claim that the British government can not prevent British Multinationals with factories outside the U.K. supplying the Egyptian military with crowd control material, including tear gas. He says it would “not be legally viable” and “such controls would be impossible to enforce.”
2. His failure to explain why the British government continues to allow British arms exports to Egypt’s military regime despite acknowledging that “human rights and fundamental freedoms are mandatory considerations for all export licence applications.”

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