FN Herstal is planning to sell 5000 Minimi guns to Nepal, a country where a civil war is going on. This can become another new political crisis here, but even the Greens agreed with the deal. The opposition parties are bringing the case to the Belgian suppreme court. Should Belgium go on with the deal?
By: Geforce - 27th August 2002 at 11:52
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 27-08-02 AT 11:54 AM (GMT)]Here are some pictures of the MINIMI Machine Gun 5.56 x 45 mm
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By: Hand87_5 - 27th August 2002 at 11:35
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
As someone said , if they don’t do it in a legal way they will do it under the counter.
Hand guns are anyway easy to find on the parallel market.
By: Geforce - 27th August 2002 at 10:13
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 27-08-02 AT 10:14 AM (GMT)]Germany has asked the EU not to allow Belgium to sell the weapons to Nepal. After this news, one minister already resigned. Aelvoet, from Agalev, the dutch-speaking green party said she can not continue her job anymore, because she agreed with the deal, but at the same time, she has moral obligations towards it.
The opposition parties have already asked to form a new gov’t with new political parties.
To be continued.
By: Geforce - 26th August 2002 at 13:58
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2216446.stm
Belgium defends arms sales to Nepal
The Belgian Government has been defending the controversial sale of more than 5,000 machine guns to Nepal.
Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel said the Nepalese authorities needed the weapons because of the threat posed by Maoist rebels who are trying to impose a communist dictatorship.
He said the production and sale of arms was not immoral, and the real question was to know who they are going to.
Politicians from other Belgian parties have demanded an urgent parliamentary debate on the deal, claiming that it could infringe guidelines against the sale of weapons to countries embroiled in civil wars.
The issue has split the governing coalition of Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt.
The Maoist rebels have been fighting since 1996 to overthrow the constitutional monarchy in Nepal.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
By: mongu - 24th August 2002 at 17:31
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
It’s a gallic shug, I’m afraid.
If we don’t sell weapons, someone else will. All countries sell weapons to “evil” client states, even the US.
By: ad0nis - 24th August 2002 at 15:39
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
War would not be war if you had no guns or tanks or jets to fight with!!! a simplyfied answer but one nonetheless.
i get annoyed when demo groups complain when arms sells are made to worn torn countries but what is the difference when you sell in peacetime or wartime….lives will be lost either way!!.
The Hawk sale to India was a perfect example and a travesty at that only because the Kashmir crisis kicked off early this year!! same goes to Indonisia and East timor a couple of years ago.
Some world goverments don’t have any moral conscious when they sell weapons to wartorn countries, they do it purely out of greed and economic benefits.
regards
By: Geforce - 24th August 2002 at 07:30
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 24-08-02 AT 07:31 AM (GMT)]PII, you ignoranus, they do make weapons outside the country of the braves. If you want a demonstration, come over here }>. In fact, without feelings of chauvenism, I must say FN herstal is one of the leading manufacturers of weapons. They even sold to the United States Army, Marine Corps, the British Army, Marines, Indonesia, Malaysia. Ask Tomel, he knows more. But this is the first country we’re selling weapons too which is not on the EU-list of ‘safe’-countries, so the deal will probably be stopped by the European Commission anyway. Than, Nepal will have to sell weapons from the maffia, but eventually the outcome will be the same, only less legal.
A Minime (right, ain’t that stolen from Austin Powers :D) is not like an F-16. If you really want a gun, you can get one everywhere, unlike an F-16.
By: tomel - 24th August 2002 at 05:11
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
Selling few 1000s of light machine guns wont makes any much different.Beside the Nepalesse soldiers ought to have a world class weapons to defend their homeland from any potential aggressors(read china).To date the Nepalesse DF used SLR as their standard rifles + FN MAG 58 GPMG,BREN LMG.The MINIMI will greatly increased their infantry firepower..
Belgium is the world nos 1 manufacturer of quality infantry firearms.Half of the world armed forces used FN weapons.Those who have served in the military surely knows what i’m talking about(regarding FN high quality weapons)>
By: PhantomII - 24th August 2002 at 01:23
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
They make weapons in Belgium? I didn’t know they knew how to use them.
By: mongu - 23rd August 2002 at 23:26
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
I don’t see why not. Belgium has no right to interfere in Nepal’s affairs by withholding business. Besides, BAE SYSTEMS would sell them instead!
By: shorthome - 23rd August 2002 at 22:50
RE: Belgium sells weapons to Nepal
if they can not send the arms legaly it wil go illegaly.
So it does’nt matter.
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August 23, 2002 at 10:14 pm