US senator says Libya shipments could end UAE arms sales

A Democratic senator warns today that the United States could cut off arms sales to the United Arab Emirates if proven that it shipped US missiles to Libyan rebels, as the US ally denies it is involved.

In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, demands an investigation and asks for explanations by July 15 on arms agreements with the UAE.

“You are surely aware that if these allegations prove true you may be obligated by law to terminate all arms sales to the UAE,” Menendez says.

He warns that the transfer would be a “serious violation” of US law and “almost certainly” break the UN arms embargo on Libya.

The New York Times reported on Friday that forces loyal to Libya’s unity government had discovered four Javelin missiles at a base used by men under the command of Khalifa Haftar, who has waged a months-long offensive to take Tripoli.

The newspaper said that markings on the US-made missiles indicated they had been sold to the United Arab Emirates in 2008.

The UAE foreign ministry on Monday said it was committed to the UN resolutions on the arms embargo and said it was “denying the ownership of weapons found in Libya.”

— AFP