RIYADH – German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on Friday that Berlin wouldnot export arms to Saudi Arabia until the murder of dissident journalistJamal Khashoggi is clarified, a stance French President Emmanuel Macrondubbed “pure demagoguery”.
“The case of journalist Khashoggi is, of course, something incredible, Itold the Saudi king yesterday in our telephone conversation,” Merkel saidat a press conference with Czech prime minister Andrej Babis.
“We need to clarify the background of this horrible crime and until that,we will not supply weapons to Saudi Arabia,” she added, reiteratingcomments made earlier this week.
The stance led to a clash with France’s Macron who told reporters in theSlovak capital Bratislava on Friday that stopping arms sales to SaudiArabia would be “pure demagoguery”.
The sale of weapons “has nothing to do with Mr. Khashoggi. One shouldn’tmix everything up,” he said.
Merkel also insisted on Friday that “Saudi Arabia must do everything tosolve the urgent humanitarian situation in Yemen, there are currentlymillions of hungry people, we are witnesses of one of the greatesthumanitarian catastrophes”.
Germany last month approved 416 million euros ($480 million) worth of armsexports to Saudi Arabia for 2018. In the past, military exports by Berlinto Saudi have mostly consisted of patrol boats.
Germany and Saudi Arabia only returned their ambassadors in September after10 months of frosty relations following criticism from Berlin of what itsaid was Saudi interference in Lebanese affairs.
The Khashoggi case has opened a serious new rift with European partnersBritain, France, and Germany jointly calling for Riyadh to clarify howKhashoggi died inside its Istanbul consulate, and for its account to “bebacked by facts to be considered credible”.
After a fortnight of denials, Saudi authorities admitted Saturday thatKhashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and prominent critic of powerfulCrown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed after entering the consulatein Turkey on October 2.
But it has faced a growing chorus of incredulity over its belatedexplanation that he died in a “brawl”, as world powers demand answers andthe location of his body. – APP / AFP