British Prime Minister Tony Blair has defended the decision to drop a probe into alleged corruption between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia.
Yesterday Blair told members of the press in his regular monthly briefing that proceeding with the investigation “would have significantly [damaged Britain’s] relationship with Saudi Arabia.”
“That relationship is of vital importance for us fighting terrorism including here in this country,” said Blair.
“It would have done damage to a major strategic partnership right at the moment when we need that strategic partnership with the Middle East peace process, with Iraq and other issues. And, as I say, all of that leaves aside the fact that we would have lost thousands of UK jobs.”
The investigation, which was dropped in December last year, was thought to centre on whether a ‘slush fund’ of over $100 million had been paid to members of the Saudi royal family by BAE Systems as part of the ‘Al-Yamamah’ arms deal in the 1980s.
The ‘Eurofighter’ defence deal between BAE Systems and the Saudi Arabian government, which is expected to be worth around $12 billion, is now back on track after British Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, announced that the Serious Fraud Office was dropping its investigation.
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