PARIS - France on Feb. 5 said it had suspended sales of arms and riot police equipment to Egypt amid mass protests pressing for President Hosni Mubarak to step down.
The decision was taken by the prime minister's office at an extraordinary meeting Jan. 27 and was conveyed to those concerned the following day, an aide to Prime Minister Francois Fillon told AFP, confirming a report on the website of the daily Le Monde.
Egypt has been rocked by a popular uprising since Jan. 25 seeking to topple Mubarak, in power for nearly 30 years.With regard to equipment used to maintain public order, "export permits for explosive materiel, mostly tear gas grenades, are the responsibility of customs. These were suspended on Jan. 25," the aide said.
The French government was recently challenged by the Socialist opposition as to why it had continued to allow exports of such products to Tunisia after the uprising that eventually forced long-time president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee.
Fillon acknowledged that France had authorized the exports to Tunisia in November and January, until just before the departure of Ben Ali, but said the exports had not taken place.
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