Sale of military equipment from UK to Middle East

This file concerns the sale of British military equipment to the Middle East. It contains correspondence and memoranda relating to:

• The desire of the Egyptian President Anwar Al Sadat to acquire the Anglo-French Jaguar combat aircraft; the opposition of HMG to Egypt being supplied Jaguar aircraft, in the context of the Arab-Israel conflict, with the possibility that the French may supply it; indications given by Sadat, in meetings in Paris on 29 October 1975, of his preference for the British version of the plane
• A Jaguar aircraft demonstration tour in the Middle East by the British Aircraft Corporation; and a proposed Middle East tour to demonstrate Hunter aircraft by Hawker Aircraft Limited
• The Cabinet Defence and Overseas Policy Committee’s meeting on 28 October 1975 on the sale of Jaguars to the Middle East
• HMG’s willingness to allow India to acquire the Jaguar; and the French willingness to allow Iraq to do so
• President Sadat’s visit to the UK on 6-8 November 1975 to acquire British armaments; itineraries and ministerial briefing papers
• The visit to London of Dr Peter Hermes of the West German Foreign Office; his meetings in London concerning an international agreement to reduce the trade in arms; and French attempts to persuade the Germans to relax restrictions on jointly-manufactured weapons
• The commercial opportunities available to British exporters presented by the reopening of the Suez Canal and by Egyptian political and economic liberalisation
• Britain’s policy on arms sale, including the Export of Goods (Control) Order, 1970 on unlicensed arms sales; HMG’s encouragement of arms sales to friendly countries
• Rolls-Royce Limited’s presentation on 14 October 1975 regarding marketing in the Middle East
• Pilkington PE Limited’s plan to hold a symposium on 10 and 11 November 1975 to describe their night vision equipment
• Arms control in the Middle East; and a report regarding economic and other consequences of any agreement to limit arms to the Middle East
• A report on HMG’s assistance to the aircraft industry