Germany cancels arms deal with Saudi Arabia, urges EU states to do the same
Germany has called on other EU countries to follow it example in halting arms exports to Saudi Arabia following the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
“The government is in agreement that we will not approve further arms exports for the moment because we want to know what happened”, German Economic Affairs and Energy Federal Minister Peter Altmaier said.
“I believe that it is important to adopt a common European stance,” Altmaier added.
Saudi Arabia has admitted the death of Khashoggi during 'interrogation gone wrong' after denying knowing anything about the slain journalist since his disappearance on October 2.
The Saudi account of Khashoggi's death has been met with much criticism from world leaders.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday that Germany will stop arms exports to the Kingdom ' as long as the uncertainty around Khashoggi’s death persisted'.
So far this year the German government had approved weapons exports worth more than 400 million euros ($462 million) to Saudi Arabia, making it the second-biggest recipient of German arms after Algeria.
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Posted from AMN with SteemPress : https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/germany-cancels-arms-deal-saudi-arabia/
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