Hawks at centre of controversy

Government Criticised over Indonesian Arms Sales

The Financial Times claims ministers have decided to go ahead with the 160 million pound deal because there is no evidence the aircraft will be used for repression in East Timor.

The report suggests that it would be too difficult to revoke an agreement already negociated with East Timor by the former Tory President of the Board of Trade Ian Lang in 1996.

However a Foreign Office spokesman said that no decision would be announced on the Hawk sales until a review of the criteria used for military equipment exports had been completed next month.

The Government is already facing criticism from the backbenches, as a campaigner for East Timorese rights, Ann Clwyd, called for a Commons statement.

Mrs Clwyd, chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme she accepted the revoking of licences granted by the former Conservative government would be difficult, because of the problem of compensation.

But she asked for a statement in the House of Commons to clarify the situation, and explain the legal options open to ministers.

Mrs Clwyd also urged the Ministry of Defence to retract an invitation to three Indonesian generals to attend an arms fair in the UK in September.

"One of those three generals was in East Timor when the invasion took place and when 2,000 people died," she claimed. "Even if the Government argues that this was an invitation given by the previous government, that invitation should be withdrawn."

The Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesman, Menzies Campbell, also criticised the Government.

He told Today: "There is absolutely no justification for the UK to be supplying arms to a regime whose suppression of internal dissent and its aggression towards the people of East Timor is so well documented."