UK lashes out at Germany over Saudi arms sales ban
Britain has strongly objected to Germany’s recent decision to bar arms and military cooperation deals with Saudi Arabia, warning that the new policy damages Berlin’s security commitments while adversely affecting the British military industry.
Germany announced in November that it would no longer issue arms export licenses to Saudi Arabia following the Riyadh regime’s murdering of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The ban was first seen as nothing but a symbolic move as Germany accounted for just under two percent of Saudi Arabia’s total arms imports. However, it raised concerns among British arms makers who rely heavily on German parts for their products.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported Tuesday that British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had raised the issue in a letter to his German counterpart, Heiko Maas.
“I am very concerned about the impact of the German government’s decision on the British and European defense industry and the consequences for Europe’s ability to fulfill its NATO commitments,” Hunt wrote, according to the magazine.
Hunt said British defense firms would not be able to fulfill several contracts with Riyadh including those for the sale of advanced fighter jets and missiles that use German technologies.
The decision is expected to postpone a proposed 10-billion-pound deal by the British weapons maker BAE Systems to sell Riyadh 48 new Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets.
It would also delay shipments of Meteor air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia developed by MBDA, an arms making company jointly owned by France’s Airbus, BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo. German companies are charged with producing the missiles’ propulsion system and warheads.
Hunt further warned that the decision could cost the German military industry around 2.3 billion euros by 2026.
Airbus Defense and Space chief Dirk Hoke told Reuters that uncertainty about the issue had undermined Germany’s credibility, and could threaten future Franco-German defense projects.
SS
