International

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel today called on the five participating Dutch firms to return from the massive arms fair in Abu Dhabi. Van Bommel is at the same time urging the EU to institute an immediate arms embargo on Libya and other countries in the Middle East which commit human rights abuses.

From the 20th to the 24th of February Abu Dhabi hosts the Middle East’s biggest arms fair. Dutch firms EADS, Imtech Marine & Offshore, Madera Ribs BV, Microflown Technologies and Techno Plast Marine BV are there to sell their products. In view of the enormous tension in many countries of the region, says Harry van Bommel, “it is in my view morally unacceptable that regimes in the Middle East can via this fair refine their repressive apparatus. Because no arms embargo has been imposed in Libya and other countries in the region, I’m making a moral appeal to these Dutch corporations to suspend their participation in this event.”

Van Bommel was disappointed by the announcement on the issue from EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, which he described as “much too lacking in any commitment. Libya is asked to do all kinds of things, but if Gaddafi doesn’t back down, nothing will happen in response. The SP believes that there must be an immediate arms embargo on Libya and several other countries in the region. If not, we’ll soon see our weaponry used against the people of these countries.”

The SP will today urge Minister Rosenthal to call for just such an embargo at European level.