ANNEX: LETTER FROM CHAIRMAN TO MEMBERS
OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
Letter from Chairman to members of the United
States Congress, 2 July 2003
The Committee understands that Congress will shortly
be examining the issue of the proposed waiver for the UK from
the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. This agreement
will greatly assist defence industrial co-operation between the
UK and US strengthening our mutual defence through more efficient
equipment acquisition and improved interoperability of our forces.
We hope that in examining these proposals Congress will also be
aware of the significant additional benefits to the US:
— An
actual strengthening of US export controls—since the UK
will be carrying out new checks on behalf of the US (i.e. that
US consent has been obtained before material is re-exported from
the UK).
— Improved Customs enforcement cooperation
as well as greater coordination and cooperation on export control
policy and implementation between the UK and US.
We hope also that Congress will recognise that US
material would be effectively safeguarded in the UK. Indeed, given
that UK export controls are as effective as those of the US, the
close convergence of US and UK policies and objectives in the
national security arena, and the close relationship between the
US and the UK at the operational level—both military and
intelligence, Congress should be confident that this is the case.
The Committee are also extremely concerned about
the Defence Industrial Base provisions that are contained in this
year's House Armed Services Defense Authorisations Bill (HR 1588),
particularly their implications for the UK's defence co-operation
with the US. We share the US Administration's view that the provisions
would undermine efforts to promote cooperation and interoperability
between the US and its allies, and thus reduce our ability to
work together to meet our common threats. Similarly, if we cannot
co-operate on equipment programmes, this will result in a reduction
in the level of value for money achieved by both the US and UK
taxpayer, restrict US access to certain state of the art technologies
and industrial capabilities, as well as impact very significantly
on major international programmes such as the Joint Strike Fighter.
The HR1588 industrial base provisions are also in stark contrast
with the UK's open defence market; we hope that Congress will
understand the threat to our common enterprise and agree to remove
them before the final Bill is produced.
Joseph Biden, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
J Dennis Hasert, Speaker, House of Representatives
Steny Hoyer, House Minority Whip
Duncan Hunter, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee
Henry Hyde, Chairman, House International Relations Committee
Tom Lantos, House International Relations Committee
Richard Lugar, Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader
Pat Roberts, Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee
Ted Stevens, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee
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