Germany has
decided to cease exporting weapons to Saudi Arabia because of ongoing conflicts
in the Middle East. But Germany's weapons industry stands recoup some losses with
a consignment of submarines to Australia.
Deutsche Welle, 25 Jan 2015
Germany's
national security council, a government body headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel
and made up of ministers from seven ministries, has decided to halt arms
exports to Saudi Arabia due to "instability in the region," the
mass-market Bild am Sonntag reported Sunday, adding that the information has
not been officially confirmed.
According
to the newspaper, orders of weapons from Saudi Arabia have either been
"rejected, pure and simple" or deferred until further notice.
The kingdom
is "one of the most important clients of Germany's arms industry,"
the newspaper said, noting that it paid German weapons manufacturers 360
million euros ($400 million) in 2013. But the government has decided "the
situation in the region is too unstable to ship there."
A survey
conducted by Bild found that 78 percent of Germans support Berlin stopping arms
deliveries to Saudi Arabia and 60 percent believe Germany should break off
trade ties with the country all together due to human rights violations.
Saudi
Arabia is home to the holiest sites in Islam, and thus plays a key role as
spiritual leader for Sunni Muslims and as a mediator in the region. Its
importance was clear on Saturday, when world leaders, including former German President Christian Wulff, converged on Riyadh to give their condolences for
the death of King Abdullah. However, the kingdom has come under fire from human
rights groups for its harsh stance on religious minorities and the rights of
women, as well as its draconian legal system.
New
submarines for Australia
The news
comes amidst speculation that the arms industry will not be suffering too long,
however, because Germany could make 14 billion euros off a potential sale of
Class 216 submarines to Australia.
Der Spiegel
news magazine reported that the German bid, which faced stiff competition from
Japan, is likely to be chosen over the Asian nation, partly because of Japan's
continued tensions with China. When Chancellor Angela Merkel told Australian
Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the last G20 summit in Brisbane that a delivery
from Germany would be seen as politically neutral, Abbott is said to have
responded: "You're right about that."
Class 216 submarines
are still in the testing stages, and should be the most modern conventional
submarines in the world, Der Spiegel reported. They will be able to stay
submerged for four weeks at a time. Australia's decision about which bid to
expect will come in the next few months.
es/sms (AFP, Reuters)
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