Speaking at the world's largest arms fair, held in London, the British Defence Secretary Liam Fox defended the UK's export licensing procedures as "amongst the most rigorous in the world"

Fox added,

"Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are mandatory considerations for all export licence applications, which we consider on a case-by-case basis.

"When conditions change we act swiftly to revoke licences that do not meet our strict criteria - just as we did earlier this year as the events in the Middle East and North Africa unfolded."

"We will not compromise our values. But let me be equally clear, we will continue to support our allies and partners, we will help with their security needs, and we will support businesses seeking to do that."

The 2011 DSEi (Defence & Security Equipment International) opened Tuesday at the Excel centre in East London.

The opening was marked by anti-arms protesters condemning Britain's sale of arms to regimes with extensively recorded human rights abuses, including Bahrain.

The DSEi website boasts the attendence of 98 countries.

See 'UK weapons and Sri Lanka's war crimes against Tamils'

Sri Lanka has previously been invited to the arms fair. It remains uncertain if an invitation was sent this year.

See also: British Banks invest in cluster bomb manufacturers