NEWLY RELEASED DOCUMENTS REVEAL TONY BLAIR’S RELATIONSHIP WITH GADDAFI AND HIS LOBBYING FOR THE ARMS DEAL

Tue 31 December 2024:

Newly released Cabinet Office documents reveal that Tony Blair’s government lobbied Libya actively for arms deals with BAE Systems, the Financial Times has reported. The documents provide fresh evidence of the former UK prime minister’s controversial relationship with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

A 2004 letter from BAE chair Sir Richard Evans to Blair’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell reveals that the aerospace company sought government help to secure “both civil and military projects” with Libya. The letter, dated 22 March, 2004, shows that BAE had been engaging with Libya for three years “pending the resumption of normal relations”, with a £65 million ($81m) contract for air traffic and communications work under consideration.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

Powell’s response confirmed that Blair had “raised [BAE’s] interest” directly with Gaddafi, noting the visit “should help create the conditions” for wider BAE Systems investment in Libya. The exchange preceded Blair’s controversial 25 March, 2004, visit to Libya, where he met the dictator following Libya’s acceptance of responsibility for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

The documents show that BAE’s chair noted “the leader had regularly asked about defence products” but that BAE had “side-stepped” such requests “pending authority to supply”. Following intense British lobbying, the EU arms embargo on Libya was lifted in October 2004, leading to MBDA, a European missile manufacturer partly owned by BAE Systems, securing a £199m ($398m) contract for anti-tank missiles in 2007.

Blair, who has faced persistent criticism for his relationships with Arab dictators, drew particular condemnation for his continued engagement with Gaddafi, including attempting to evacuate the embattled leader during Libya’s 2011 civil war. The former prime minister remains a controversial figure, with many calling for his prosecution for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity over Britain’s role in the 2003 Iraq invasion, which critics maintain violated international law.

BAE Systems responded to the new revelations by saying that they “comply fully with all relevant export control laws and regulations”, while both the Cabinet Office and Blair declined to comment on the newly-released documents.

-MEMO

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22