مجموعة ٤٨/٧ "أفغانستان: اقتراح العقيد لانكاستر بشأن توفير معدات عسكرية وتدريب للجيش الأفغاني؛ وتوريد معدات عسكرية" [و‎‎٤] (٤٥١/٧)

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EXTRACT FROM MINUTES OF DEFENCE COMMITTEE MEETING
Ei,IiD m.h Jagg-jy. (D. 0.(48) 5th Meeting),
SUPPLY OF AMS AND EQUIPMENT TO FOREIGN ND COMMON VEALTH
The Committee considered a note by the Minister of efence
(D.0.(48) 11) covering a report by the Joint -far Praduction
Staff on the supply of arms and equipment to foreign and
Commonwealth countries. This report made the following
recommendations
(i) The vital importance of maintaining armament exports
to friendly countries should be taken XUlly into account
in the reshaping of the pattern of the Jniled Kingdom
export trade which was now being carried out in
order to meet the economic crisis.
(ii) The production of Naval, Array and Air Force arms and
equipment to meet foreign and Commonwealth orders on the
largest practicable scale should be approved.
(iii)The Service Departments should be authorised to invite
foreign and Commonwealth Governments to indicate
their probable requirements, oju the understanding
that theie would > e a reasonable prospect that these
requirements could be met, subject to satisfactory
negotiations as to delivery and financial settlement.
(iv)The War Office stocks required for minimum war reserves
and essential maintenance should not be further deptyletec
in order to supply foreign requirements.
THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE stressed the importance of the
export of arms and equipment from the point of view of the
maintahance of an actuate war potential in the United Kingdom,
and said that, if the general propositions in paragraph 3
of D.O.(48)11 were approved, he would work out detailed
proposes in consultation with the Chancellor of the Exchequer
and'the President of the Board of Trade.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE SXCHEqUER said that he could rot
accept the general propositions set out in D.O.(48) 1'. Thus,/
while there might be good strategic reasons, for exporting 1
arms and equipment to Holland, it was very doubtful whether
we could, in present circumstances, afford to use valuable 1
materials, sue as steel, for exports which, from the economicl
point of view, would be unrequited. Each case mist, in his ^
view, be considered on merits, regard being had to the
economic factor and he could rot, t erefore. agree to
the suggestion in paragraph 3(3) of D.O.(48) 1] that the
Dervice Deoartments, in inviting foreign and Commonwealth
Governments to indicate their probable requirements, should
give an assurance that there was a reasonable prospect that
these requirements could be met.
THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE said that it had always been
intended that the decisions on individual cases should be
taken in consultation with the Overseas Negotiations Committee.