Merkel Seeks to Halt Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia

Following confirmation of Jamal Khashoggi’s death, Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor, said she intends to temporarily suspend her country’s arms exports to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi King and Crown Prince offered condolences to Khashoggi’s family.

Following German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas’s expression of doubt about the legitimacy of military arms exports to Saudi Arabia, Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor, said she wants to temporarily halt arms exports to Saudi Arabia.

According to the French news agency, Merkel said on Sunday evening, October 21 (29 Mehr), in Berlin, this cannot happen “in the circumstances we find ourselves in.”

Following confirmation of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist critical of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Germany’s Green Party called for the country to change its policy toward Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi King and Crown Prince offered condolences to Khashoggi’s family over his death.

Both King Salman and his powerful Crown Prince expressed regret over his death in telephone conversations with members of Khashoggi’s family.

Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, confirmed Khashoggi’s death at his country’s consulate in Turkey and attributed it to “rogue elements.”

Angela Merkel, at a meeting of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union in Berlin, said the Khashoggi case “needs urgent clarification.” She said there has been too much delay in clarifying all aspects of this case and holding accountable those responsible. She called for coordinating international responses in dealing with this matter.

Meanwhile, Günther Oettinger, European Commission Commissioner, has warned against hasty reactions in this regard. He told newspapers of the “Funke” media group that some decisions regarding “individual arms exports” can be revoked. However, “a fundamental decision should only be made once either the issue has been fully clarified or it is suspected that Saudi Arabia is covering it up.”

He found Saudi Arabia’s explanations regarding Khashoggi’s “murder” insufficient and said it must be clarified whether “this was an ordinary murder.”

Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for Germany’s Christian Democratic Union, told the newspaper “Passauer Neue Presse”: “Our coalition agreement stipulates that we no longer want to approve arms exports to Saudi Arabia.” However, according to him, there are exceptions in this regard that will remain in place until there is a fundamental change in political relations with Riyadh.

Anton Hofreiter, head of the Green Party faction in the German parliament, called in a conversation with the French news agency for a “permanent halt to German arms exports to conflict zones and authoritarian states.” Referring to Merkel’s remarks, he said: “If the Chancellor is serious in her statements, all approvals for arms exports to Saudi Arabia must be withdrawn and the entire current arms policy must be reviewed.”

“Murder During a Quarrel”

Riyadh says Jamal Khashoggi, who entered his country’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain documents related to his marriage, was killed during a “scuffle” with officials at the consulate. However, these explanations have failed to convince many.

U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Saudi Arabia of “lying,” and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that on Tuesday he will reveal “all the truth” in parliament.

According to Erdoğan, Trump and he called on Sunday to clarify the matter. The White House says Trump also discussed this issue in a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he might cancel a major arms deal between his country and Saudi Arabia that includes the export of armored vehicles worth nearly 10 billion euros.

Source: DW