Czech Republic sold arms to Sri Lanka in 2007

by Suranee | May 21, 2009 at 03:47 am

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Czech Republic, Slovakia and several other EU member states have been criticized for continuing exports of arms to Sri Lanka in breach of the EU's code of conduct on arms exports.

The Industry and Trade Ministry spokesman Tomas Bartovsky confirmed that although the Czech government rejected several requests for licences for export of military material to Sri Lanka in 2007, military material worth 633,000 euros was sold to Sri Lanka from the Czech Republic in 2007.

Prague/Brussels, May 20 (CTK) - The Czech government rejected several requests for licences for export of military material to Sri Lanka in 2007 though military material worth over 630,000 euros was exported there, the Industry and Trade Ministry told CTK Wednesday.

The ministry was reacting to the EUobserver server's criticism of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and several other EU member states for continuing exports of arms to Sri Lanka in breach of the EU's code of conduct on arms exports.

According to the server, the positions of these countries contradicts to the position of Brussels which does not hide its concern about violation of human rights in Sri Lanka.

"I can confirm that military material worth 633,000 euros was sold to Sri Lanka from the Czech Republic in 2007," Industry and Trade Ministry spokesman Tomas Bartovsky told CTK.