The Federal government has extended the stop for the Export of military equipment to Saudi Arabia. According to new Figures, the total exports of German weapons declined in the past year.
Saudi Arabia’s crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is considered by many observers as the mastermind of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi
The Federal government has approved no arms exports to Saudi Arabia. This a spokeswoman for the German Economics Ministry said in Berlin. How long will the export stop will stop, she could not say. The editorial network Germany (RND) had previously reported, citing government circles, the relevant ministries had agreed with representatives of the defence industry, up until the beginning of March are no other weapons to Riyadh that would be delivered.
The original ban on Exports because of the killing of the Saudi regime critic Jamal Khashoggi had been on for two months on a temporary basis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had declared in November, as long as the case is not resolved, there will be no German arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Previously the Federal government had agreed with the industry on a Moratorium on arms exports to the Yemen war involved the Gulf state, with a maturity of two months.
The refurbished delivery-stop is reported to be legally not binding. The first agreement with the armaments industry was run at the beginning of January. In government circles it hot, the producers concerned had been asked, already approved exports to continue.
The new agreement is, according to the editors ‘ network, the reason for the dispute between the Union and the SPD. While the Union insist on the restriction of the beginning of March expiry, poche, the SPD on a further extension of the stops. In the coalition agreement both sides had agreed on a restrictive arms export policy towards States in crisis regions.
Concern about jobs
As it was said, afraid of the Union to the loss of jobs, the Export ban on March. At least two companies have already indicated that the employment others, if not more guarantee.
Made in Germany: Leopard tanks of the Turkish army
Overall, the Federal government approved last year, almost a quarter less arms exports than in the previous year. The response of the Ministry of economy to a request from the Green party member of Parliament Omid Nouripour. The total value fell by 22.7 per cent from 6,242 billion euros to 4,824 billion euros. In the case of the controversial deliveries to countries outside the European Union and NATO, the decline even amounted to nearly one-third (32.8 percent). The German armaments industry must accept in order for the third year in a row a decrease in the export permits. A growth there in 2015, then to a record level of 7,86 billion euros. Since then it goes downhill.
Armaments companies in a Huff
The Federation of German security and defence industry (BDSV) had led to the Trend earlier in December, at least in part to the “unpredictable” and for customers and partners countries “by surprising twists and turns often are not comprehensible to the” arms export policy of the Federal government.
The German approval practice is much more restrained than those of its major Alliance partner, the USA, France and the United Kingdom. No other major arms exporter in the EU or NATO followed the example of to stop because of the Case, Khashoggi arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
Jama Khashoggi was allegedly murdered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and dismembered
Despite the in November imposed Export ban in Saudi Arabia to 2018, still counted among the best customers of the German arms industry, with export permits to the value of 416 million euros. Actually, the Federal government had decided, at the Insistence of the SPD in March in the coalition agreement not to provide more arms to countries that are “directly” involved in the Yemen war. Saudi Arabia is leading a war Alliance of nine countries, the fighting in Yemen against the Iranian-supported Houthi rebels. The coalition agreement left open but behind doors for pre-approved exports. These were only closed with the Khashoggi affair. The industry is considering, therefore, to claims for damages.
stu/se (dpa, kna, rtr)