2008, included semi-automatic pistols, components for combat aircrafts, armoured vehicles, small arms ammunition, military sonar detection, grenades and military communications equipment.63 The uk cut off arms shipment to Colombo in January 2008 after the Sri Lankan government officially pulled out of the ceasefire agreement.64 In 2010, two British arms dealers were convicted of having sold various arms to the Sri Lankan government in 2005 without licences. The deals included bombs and ammunition to the Sri Lankan Air Force.65
The Czech Republic Second on the list of eu Member States, having exported the most arms to Sri Lanka, is the Czech Republic, who acceded to the principles of the eu Code of Conduct in 1998.66 Among the arms having been delivered were t-55 tanks and rm-70 multiple rocket launchers, reaching Sri Lanka in 2000, a time of heavy fighting between the government and the LTTE.67 In connection with an arms deal of usd 2,5 million arriving in 2001, when indications had emerged that peace talks were underway, a Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman stated: “We regard Sri Lanka as a completely normal country from the point of view of exports or imports, which is not a subject of any kind of embargo.” He also said that that it was an “absolutely standard deal under absolutely standard conditions.”68 After the Sri Lankan government ended the truce in January 2008, this position shifted to become more restrictive, especially regarding the export of big bore ammunition. According to a Czech official, the export of such military material was ”eventually frozen.”69 Nevertheless, Sri Lanka was the second largest destination for Czech arms export licences in 2008, with a value of over 17 million euro. The 2008 deliveries included large quantities of version 58 automatic weapons.70
Spain In addition to their arms exports to Sri Lanka being criticised for breaching the
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63 Page, Jeremy (2009). ”Britain sold weapons to help Sri Lankan army defeat Tamil Tigers.” In The Times, 090602. 64 Nicholson, Tom (2009). “Slovak ministries defend Sri Lanka arms deal.” in The Slovak Spectator. http://www. spectator.sk/articles/view/35369. 65 Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, Notice to exporters 100228. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/europeandtrade/strategic-export-control/latest-news/notice-toexporters/page54663.html. 66 Arms Control Association (1998). http://www.armscontrol.org/node/3157. 67 Saferworld (2002). Arms Production, Exports and Decision-making in Central and Eastern Europe, p. 12. Individual chapters available here: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/smartweb/resources/view-resource/68. 68 Czech Foreign Ministry defends arms shipment to Sri Lanka, 010418, CTK in English, 17 April 2001, Mail 010420. 69 E-mail contact with Ales Vytecka, Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 100113. 70 Annual Report on the Czech Republic’s Control of Exports of Military Equipment and Small Arms for Civilian Use – 2008. download.mpo.cz/get/35863/47224/565340/priloha002.pdf. See appendix no. 2 and 4.