By Jaime Ortega.
Behind the United States and Russia, the European Union is a major arms supplier to Egypt, according to data from the International Institute for Peace Studies Stockholm (SIPRI).
That same Sunday, the EU have announced an urgent review of its relations with Egypt and take measures to promote the democratic process and to end the violence in the country, which considers “unjustifiable” blaming the interim government primarily responsible and the Army.
In 2011 Egypt received arms worth about 400 million euros (533 million dollars), three quarters of which come from Russia. The figures however vary greatly from year to year: in 2012 total sales were estimated by SIPRI in only 170 million euros.
The latest official report of the EU refers to 2011 and, as it approved export licenses for weapons and military equipment to the country EU worth 303 million euros. The majority (102 million) was spent on aircraft that are manufactured mainly by Spain and France.
The second category (65 million) was the vehicle, with Germany leading the way with 57.3 million euros.
Of the 303 million, Spain is the second country in the EU with licenses for a higher value of 79.6 million euros, almost exclusively for aircraft.
The first position is for France, with 107 million euros, divided mainly in electronic equipment (26 million), technology for development and production of weapons (25) fighter (22) and bombs and missiles (21). Germany is in third place with 74.2 million euros.
The EU adopted in 1998 a code of conduct for arms exports by establishing a series of regulations, such as the ban on arms sales “when there is a clear danger that can be used for internal repression” or when at home Target’s human rights violations. It is also not allowed for weapons sales that can “cause or lengthen” armed conflict.
