The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has deferred ratification of defence trade treaties with the UK and Australia until 2009, as a result of "too many unresolved questions" regarding both accords to achieve approval this year. In a letter sent to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, dated 17 September, which has been seen by Jane's, the committee stated that, during a hearing on both accords on 21 May, "a number of questions about how these treaties would be implemented and enforced, and how they would relate to the existing US regulatory regime for arms exports," were raised by committee members. "Unfortunately the information provided by the administration to date ... is insufficient to resolve members concerns," the committee said.
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