NEW DELHI: The government admitted recently, that the export of the chemical, TMP, to Syria was in violation of regulations.
The Foreign Office spokesman told newsmen that the Customs Department had been notified of the violation by MS United Phosphorus which had sent a consignment of TMP to Syria. He said TMP was a dual-purpose chemical and is included in the list of chemicals which requires prior government clearance for export.
The company in question had not obtained the necessary clearance. The United States had stopped the shipment of the chemical to Syria and asked India to recall the consignment on the ground that TMP, used to make pesticides, could also be used to manufacture nerve gas and its export was violative of international concerns on the proliferation of chemical weapons,
The spokesman maintained that India is Committed to the curbing of chemical proliferation and this is reflected in the government’s export control regime.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 16, 1992
