We urge you to Pedro Sánchez to stop the sale of weapons to the “theocracy-killer” in Saudi Arabia
to Germany calls on Europe to limit sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia
The Spanish Government calls for “prudence” until that research to yield conclusive evidence regarding the assassination of the saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, before taking a decision on the export of Defence material and dual-use to the Riad. The German Economy minister, Peter Altmaier, called yesterday to the rest of european partners to adopt a joint position with Saudi Arabia.
The aim is that measures such as the suspension of the arms sale announced by chancellor Angela Merkel announce their presence in the desert kingdom.
Spain, for the moment, dragging their feet and refuses to follow the German example. The Executive tries to win time by putting the accent on the “unequivocal condemnation” of the facts and claiming a “thorough investigation and transparent”, but without reaching beyond.
media governmental support that the issue is thorny and insist that they must be evaluated with care the pros and cons of any initiative. The analysis of consequences must be quick because the forces of parliamentary to expect from Pedro Sanchez a clear answer no later than tomorrow when I appear before the Plenary of Congress to give an account of the conclusions of the last European Council and explain, in addition, all the ends of the last run-in with Saudi Arabia to account, precisely, of the sale of 400 bombs laser.
Today, in the Defense Commission, will also address the issue because we Can, CKD, PDeCAT and Compromís will urge them upon the Government to root out any supply of weapons to the saudis and even consider the need to revoke the export contracts that were in place. It is the resolutions that are submitted to the report exports of defence material and dual use in the year 2017. These resolutions have taken on special significance as a result of the case KHashoggi.
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the position of The Government in this matter is especially delicate. Spain is the third largest exporter of defence material to Riyadh, after the US and Uk, so that the interruptions in the sales not only would be a great loss direct economic, but affect also is expected to set of commercial relationships and investors.
In the government discussion weighs still the risk that a sanction could mean for the contract of construction of five corvettes in the shipyards of Navantia in Cadiz, a danger that Pedro Sanchez want to overcome their most obvious impact on an electoral campaign in andalusia.
On the opposite side of the scale weighs the interest by endorsing a position as the German flying the flag of the defense of human rights and is committed to the unity of european action.
“Only in the case of all the european countries we are united we can make a dent in the Government in Riyadh,” said Altmeier, one of the ministers closest to Merkel, and who is responsible for the international trade of weapons. “If we stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and simultaneously other countries they occupy that gap, as it would not serve for nothing”, he argued.
Saudi Arabia is after Algeria, the main customer of Germany in the business arms. From January until the last of September 30, the Bundestag gave the go-ahead to the sale to Riyadh of military weapons worth half a million euros.
In Spain, from the socialist ranks is replicated for Germany, this trade is almost negligible. In fact, Berlin is the seventh-largest exporter of defence material to Saudi Arabia accounting for just 1.7% of the purchases made by the regime, while sales Spanish account for 4,2%.
The German decision, announced by Angela Merkel after a meeting with the leaders of his party, is the first reaction that does not remain in the words of one european country. With it, the chancellor is intended to be the spearhead for similar measures by the european partners and, eventually, of the united States.
Altmaier has not clarified when it would result in the suspension and on what terms, is to say whether Berlin will deliver to Riyadh weaponry whose export had been authorized prior to, or the suspension applies to new contracts. Waiting for Merkel to address the issue with its partners in the Government, the opposition party The Greens has called for the Government to grind to a halt all arms sales to the saudi kingdom.
The same requirement is posed in Spain we Can and the independence forces, but not as Citizens and people’s Party, more likely to maintain, as claimed by the Government, an attitude of prudence.
In Germany, the case Khashoggi has generated a huge level of rejection. The Foreign minister, the social democrat Heiko Maas, has even cancelled his participation in a congress, economic in Riyadh and claimed to fully understand all those who refuse to travel today to Saudi Arabia.
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