Torontostrbismus Surgery

Spain sells arms to Morocco

Spain sells and gives weapons to Morocco

Centre

Delàs
Writer Friday, November 19, 2010 10:08

Morocco has become the seventh destination of English arms sales and the second after Brazil outside the EU. In the last decade Spain has sold arms to Morocco for more than 200 million euros, including products and dual-use (which presumably can be used as a weapon) with a value of 7,227,180 euros. The sale of arms and ammunition, as well as parts and accessories in this period has exceeded 10 million euros, weapons that can be assigned to the police.

recent English arms sales to Morocco
In 2009, the report accepted the Government's own sales of 31.1 million euros, including 286 vehicles including SUV and light weapons parts. In 2008 Spain sold the 1,015 Moroccan army vehicles and military trucks by 113.90 million euros.

These exports represent a breach of the Law on Foreign Trade in Defence and Dual Use (Law 53/2007), which requires to deny exports to countries with political instability and democratic states, which are in conflict, which violate the human rights of its citizens, or to prioritize defense spending over social such as education and health. Morocco meets several of these requirements.

Last year, in 2007, entered into an agreement between Spain and Morocco in the amount of 200 million euros for the sale of 1,200 vehicles, high mobility tactical road 800 trucks and 10 patrol boats for coastal surveillance. Moreover, this year 2007, the Government reported the sale of 20 all-terrain vehicles by $ 1.8 million, but provided no details about the 9 million that were sold under the description of bombs, torpedoes, rockets and missiles and other material without description.

Spain gives weapons to Morocco
In 2008 the Cabinet decided to authorize the sale of six MK-46 lightweight torpedoes for the Royal Moroccan Navy for just "one euro". This torpedo is equipped with a warhead of 44 kilograms of high explosive PBXN-103. But the gifts of arms of the English Government to the Alawite monarchy are not limited to this transfer, but also in 2008 gave eight sets of bomb-throwers aviation, serving for the use of free-fall bombs, also for a euro, despite being valued at 86,848 euros.

The sale of arms from Spain to Morocco clearly shows two aspects of English foreign policy:
- One of them concerns that Morocco is a priority partner that you can sell or even give weapons because it is a threat to our country.
- The second aspect concerns the enormous weight of the arms business in English foreign policy, even when supplied by the war or repression, placing financial gain over ethical or moral considerations and even national legislation or existing international arms trade.

The English arms trade may be another reason why the English Government does not wish to exercise their responsibility as former colonial powers for the Saharawi people to choose their own future
Source: Agencies