Sandline Bargains w/Canberra for Weapons


Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit

source - VIKKI@law.uts.edu.au  Mon May 10 21:20:26 1999

 Postcourier - 11 May 99

 Sandline bargains with Canberra for weapons

 BRITISH mercenary firm Sandline International has begun talks with the
Australian Government to recover a multi-million-dollar weapons cache held
after the collapse of its planned Bougainville operation.

 The weapons were diverted to Australia after the exposure in March 1997 of
the Papua New Guinea Government's contract with Sandline to crush the
separatist movement on Bougainville.

 The contract prompted a revolt by the PNG military and led to the downfall
of the Government of Sir Julius Chan.

 Sandline has since won legal action against PNG for the $A30 million it is
still owed, with part of the settlement including return of the weapons.

 Australian Defence Department spokesman Tony Underwood said Sandline met
representatives from the departments of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Prime
Minister and Cabinet and Attorney-General.

 ``We had a cordial talk, a preliminary talk and we are seeking legal
advice,'' he told AAP. ``Obviously we would like to get it (the weapons) out
of our custody.'' However there is grave concern in Australia about what
will happen to the weapons, which include such lethal armory as Russian
helicopter gunships and rocket-propelled grenades.

 Sandline was told at the talks that the weapons would be subject to
Australian export controls. These controls ban the export of weapons to
countries like Yugoslavia and Iraq, which are subject to United Nations
weapons embargoes, and to countries which breach human rights or are deemed
to be against Australia's national interest.

 The controls also state that Australia is opposed to the private sale of
weapons unless they are then being resold to an approved government.

 ``They were told we want to know where the weapons are going,'' a source
said.  However the situation is complicated by the fact that Sandline
already technically owns the weapons, and any ban on their export by
Australia would only lead to an even bigger damages claim against the PNG
Government.
 
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