Arms objection

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 8

Arms objection

NZPA London Britain would press the United States not to resume full arms sales to Guatemala because of Washington’s decision to sell SNZB.6 million worth of military parts to the Central American republic, British officials said today. .

Britain is concerned about sales of military hardware to Guatemala, which hasa territorial claim on neighbouring Belize, where there are 1500, British troops.

British commentators said that Friday’s decision by the United States to launch the new military sales programme to Guatemala was made against British objections.

The deal was the first step since the United States cut

off>,military sales to Guatemala in 1978 because of human rights violations. It was agreed to because the human rights position in Guatemala had improved, the State Department said, but any future requests for military equipment would be considered case by case.

Belize, the former British colony of British Honduras with 150,000 people, has been independent since 1981, but the British troops have been posted there because Guatemala does not recognise the new country.

In Guatemala City, meanwhile, the Guatemalan Foreign Minister said that the President, Brigadier-Gen-eral Efrain Rios Montt, would hand over power to an elected government in 1985.