Pages 125-127 from FCO 177-1357

This is a confidential message from the Prime Minister to President Clinton discussing the phasing out of COCOM (Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls) and the need for tighter international controls on arms exports and sensitive technology. The Prime Minister agrees that it is time to end COCOM, as its complex procedures are no longer necessary for managing trade with Russia and other former Communist countries. Decisions on sensitive exports should be a matter of national discretion, as they are for the rest of the world. However, caution should be exercised with countries posing a threat to international stability, such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea, and the major suppliers should apply equally tough standards. The Prime Minister supports harmonizing controls on dual-use goods and involving the former Warsaw Pact countries. The goal is to avoid bureaucratic burdens on the business community while ensuring effective controls. Transparency in arms transfers, both globally and among principal exporters, is also important, and the Prime Minister suggests setting up parallel procedures within the new arrangements to address dual-use goods and arms transfers separately. The message expresses a commitment to work together to achieve an effective international system.