Belgian govt. wins trust vote on arms sale

September 1, 2002
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The Belgian government easily won a confidence vote in parliament on Saturday over its decision to approve the sale of 5,500 automatic rifles to Nepal, AP reported from Brussels.

The vote put an end to week-long government crisis that forced a vice premier to resign and laid bare the differences on international politics within the six-party coalition. The environmentalist party Agalev had threatened to withdraw its support from the deal to back the arms sale to Nepal.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt stood firm and assuaged Agalev’s fears that the arms would be delivered ahead of the November elections in Nepal.

He also said Belgium would send a human rights observer to assess the situation in Nepal.