Pakistan Arms Imports: Why is Italy Flouting Its Own Constitution?

By selling arms to Pakistan, is Italy not flouting its own constitution?

Pakistan is the second biggest client of Italy’s arms industry. 

(Photo: Modified by The Quint)

US State Department reprimanded Pakistan in August for misusing the F-16s, report many media outlets. Andrea Thompson, then-undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs wrote a letter to the chief of the Pakistani air force, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan. Through this letter the US government conveyed its displeasure at the Department’s confirmation that Pakistan had moved the F-16s and some American-made missiles to unapproved forward operating bases. This was in violation of Pakistan’s agreement with the US.

While this reprimand may or may not have had any impact, at least a point was made by a leader in the global arms industry.

Italy, in contrast, does not care for any such action or gesture.

How Italy Flouts Its Own Constitution

The Italian bubble of ‘peace’ burst last month when Erdogan’s military attacked the Syrian Kurds. It is then that Italy suddenly realized that part of the bombs dropped by the Turkish forces were made in Italy, and that Turkey is one of the foremost clients for the country's flourishing arms industry.

In the last four years the supply of arms to Ankara has been on rise. Since 2015, Italy has supplied war helicopters, precision systems, bombs, rockets, missiles and firearms worth €890.6 million to Turkey. Everything legal, someone would say, because Turkey is a NATO country, a strong commercial and political partner of Europe and it is not subject to any embargo.

Though, such is not the case.

Law 185 of 9 July 1990 prohibits Italy from the export and transit of weapon materials to countries in conflict, unless they have been attacked by other countries (as established by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations). It also prohibits export to countries whose policy contrasts with the principles of Article 11 of the Constitution: “Italy rejects war as solution of conflicts”. Italy can not sell arms to countries whose governments are responsible for serious violations of international conventions on human rights, ascertained by the UN, the European Union or Council of Europe.

Italy President Sergio Mattarella. (File Photo: IANS)

Pakistan Second Largest Buyer of Italian Arms

Italy’s leading arms manufacturer is Leonardo, a company in which the government has a 30% share. This means that those who should control the military deals are also partners into the controlled company.

The Italian Defense "Report on authorized operations carried out for the control of export, import and transit of armament materials" for the year 2018 shows that Italy sold armaments to 80 countries last year.

Among top importers are Qatar ( € 1.92 billion), Pakistan ( €682 million), Turkey ( €362 million) and the United Arab Emirates (€220 million), beside Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, and Nigeria.

The sales of arms to Pakistan in 2018 were roughly four times larger than those booked in 2017, which stood at €174.1 million. In comparison, exports to India are worth €61.4 million.

The report, unfortunately, is quite opaque: it says to ‘whom’ Italy sells armaments but does not specify much the ‘kind’ of armaments sold.

Despite Red Flags from the Constitution & the Vatican, Italy’s Trade With Pakistan Growing

The case of Pakistan is emblematic, given the poor human rights track record of the country, the regular protests issued by Italy and the Vatican for the treatment of religious minorities and the military policy of Pakistan which specifically goes against of the Article 11 of the Constitution of Italy.

Pakistan Air Force has purchased 12 Agusta AW-139 helicopters from Italy this year. Reports in Pakistani media indicate that the next big purchase could be the M-346 lead-in fighter-trainer. The list of Pakistan-Italy deals is long, too long, and also includes training given by Italians to Pakistani military personnel, both in Italy and abroad.

Pakistan uses weapons and technologies it procures from countries like Italy, Germany, France and Holland against its citizens and to threaten other countries, exactly like in the case of Turkey.

A suspension decree has been issued by all these countries against Turkey: a facade suspension decree, because it concerns only future supplies while stating that ongoing contracts will be respected. It means that Italy will continue to sell weapons to Turkey at least throughout 2020.

Italy’s Track Record of Putting Profits Over Prudence

Turkey is not an isolated case, just the latest one. Saudi Arabia was buying the MK aerial bombs that it used in Yemen from Domusnovas-based company RWM Italia. European Parliament had asked to stop their sales in February 2016, placing an embargo on Saudi Arabia, but Italy stopped much later than other European states.

Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), left, kisses the hand of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at royal palace in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: AP)

Trade with Pakistan, too, could follow the same pattern. Despite human rights organisations protesting and highlighting the fact that weapons sold to Pakistan or Qatar could and would end up in the hands of State-baked terrorists or of terrorist States by triangulations, the government of Italy has no intention to stop this bloody but remunerative trade.

Not with Pakistan, not with Turkey or with Qatar. For Italian arms dealers, as an old movie by the great Italian actor Alberto Sordi would say, “Until there's war, there's hope”.

(Francesca Marino is a journalist and a South Asia expert who has written ‘Apocalypse Pakistan’ with B Natale. She tweets at @francescam63. )