MADRID – Spain and Saudi Arabia have signed a framework agreement to sellthe Gulf Arab state warships under a deal estimated to be worth around 1.8billion euros ($2.2 billion).
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and Spain’s defense minister signed an“executive summary to facilitate the necessary procedures” for the SaudiDefence Ministry to sign a contract with Spanish state-owned shipbuilderNavantia for the supply of warships, a Saudi government statement said lateon Thursday.
It said another agreement was signed between state-owned Saudi ArabianMilitary Industries Company and Navantia, but did not provide furtherdetails.
A Spanish Defence Ministry source said that under the deal, Navantia wouldsell five small warships, Spain’s army would train Saudi military personneland contractors would build a naval construction center in the kingdom.
Campaign groups Amnesty International, Spain’s FundiPau, Greenpeace andOxfam have called on Spain to stop selling military equipment to theSaudis, accusing the kingdom of abusing rights – charges it denies.
The two sides have been negotiating the warship deal since 2015, and thefinal contract between the Saudi Defence Ministry and Navantia would takelonger to complete, the source said. – Agencies