In your article “Why I spoke out on training” (The Press, June 16), the spokesman of York St John University said the purpose of the course funded by BAE Systems, one of the largest arms manufacturers, and the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO), was “peace and conflict resolution”.

This totally disagrees with the statement which I have obtained from DESO (now UKTI-DSO).

It says: “The aim of the programme was to provide English Language Training for key decision makers from the Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) region.

The CEE region was seen as an area that would be making significant defence expenditure over the coming years.”

The university has taught officers from many repressive regimes including Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, Qatar and Egypt which are among the top 20 persecutors of Christians, according to the Open Doors 2011 World Watch List.

Libya, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are among the eight countries judged by Freedom House in 2007 to have the worst records for political rights and civil liberties.

The university is receiving money from the governments of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Qatar and China to teach their military officers.

Hisashi Nakamura, Oaken Grove, Haxby, York.