Germany halts arms exports to Saudi Arabia: report
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BERLIN: Germany has decided to stop arms exports to Saudi Arabia because of “instability in the region,” German daily Bild reported on Sunday.
Weapons orders from Saudi Arabia have either been “rejected, pure and simple,” or deferred for further consideration, the newspaper said, adding that the information has not been officially confirmed.
The decision was taken on Wednesday by the national security council, a government body that includes Chancellor Angela Merkel, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and seven other ministers, it said.
“According to government sources, the situation in the region is too unstable to ship arms there,” added the daily.
Saudi Arabia follows a strict and highly conservative form of Islam, and as home to some of its holiest sites plays a key role as a spiritual leader for Muslims, and mediator in the Middle East.
Its importance was made clear on Saturday when world leaders converged on Riyadh to offer condolences following the death of King Abdullah, including Britain's prime minister and France's president.
Germany was represented by former president Christian Wulff.
The kingdom is “one of the most important clients of Germany's arms industry,” with 360 million euros ($400 million) of arms shipments authorised in 2013, Bild said.
But it has also come under fire from human rights groups for its harsh treatment of religious minorities and women, as well as the lack of transparency in its legal system.
A survey carried out for Bild found that 78 percent of Germans believe Berlin should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia -- and a further 60 percent want to break off trade ties all together -- due to human rights violations.
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Comments (55) Closed
Jan 25, 2015 01:28pm
Unfortunately there are other players who would jump in to make a quick buck. The world today is awash with weapons which can kill mankind many times over. Only way is for the world leaders to take a stand and stop production sales of these weapons which is highly unlikely because they are too weak.
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Jan 25, 2015 01:45pm
It is good that Germany is topping arm supply to KSA on such so-called reasons of human rights...they least bother about such human rights in reality......KSA shall find another supplier group...
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Jan 25, 2015 02:09pm
What about weapon orders from Israel? Is it not in the middle East or the situation seems to be stable enough to continue giving them weapons? Are they still going to get more discounted submarines?
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Jan 25, 2015 02:28pm
Only a woman has the guts to do the right thing.......shame on all the men leaders.
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Jan 25, 2015 02:31pm
Saudi Arabia is the biggest sponsor or of terrorism and hard line interpretations of Islam. They have funded many militant groups in pakistan. This is a good step by Germany. The world needs to wake up to what the Saudis are doing to the region.
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Jan 25, 2015 02:53pm
If we truly want peace in the world, arm exports ( and the arms trade) should be banned altogether, irrespective of what country it is from. Not only would the total weapons decrease in the world, the arms industry in individual countries would need to be highly subsidised by their Governments to survive!
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Jan 25, 2015 03:13pm
@Mashman. US Arms industry is the biggest financier of the Congress and Presidential elections. Americans can't even put any control over domestic guns sale. You are worried about destruction brought in the rest of the world!
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Jan 25, 2015 03:15pm
Double standards of the West. Their human rights concerns don't apply to the apartheid state of Israel.
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Jan 25, 2015 03:16pm
As long as China is there, there will be no shortage of arms for the terrorists. They use small arms only and china can supply whatever they want provided someone is there to foot the bill.
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Jan 25, 2015 03:21pm
The Arabs will be laughing at this news. They have got America, Pakistan already there supplying arms. Who cares if Germany bans exports. Another country will take their share.
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Jan 25, 2015 03:32pm
Even today, either we are Muslims, Christians, Jews and Hindus. we raise our hand in prayers and against our brother... We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal we continue to sow destruction, pain, death. Violence and war lead only to death.The irony is our world is one of terrible contradictions. Plenty of food, but one billion people go hungry. Lavish lifestyles for a few, but poverty for too many others. Huge advances in medicine while mothers die every day in childbirth, and children die every day from drinking dirty water. Billions spent on weapons to kill people instead of keeping them safe....Pas kay dushwar hay her ik kaam ka asaan ho na.. Admi ko bhi muyaseer ne he insaan honna...we would never be human....
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Jan 25, 2015 03:37pm
"...break off trade ties all together -- due to human rights violations." ..also do consider Israel while you are at it.
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Jan 25, 2015 03:48pm
PMLN take a lead from last two line of above article..... how Germans consider their voter's importance.
wont say more.
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Jan 25, 2015 04:30pm
Nobody cares and trusts Arabs in the west.
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Jan 25, 2015 04:56pm
@OmAr Yes indeed, in addition to HR violations there is also another reason for which Saudis should not be provided any arms or ammunition. On paper they condemn terrorism but in actual fact they not only give moral support but also provide monetary and arms support to terrorists. Example : Syria, where those terrorists fighting against Asad regime are getting all kind of help from such vested interests.
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Jan 25, 2015 05:00pm
@khanm
We should elect this gentleman President of South Asia. I am serious.
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Jan 25, 2015 05:10pm
Iran is also a big supporter of terrorism and their brand of deviance in the region..
Asad regiem is brutal and have killed thousand and thousands of sunni muslims in Syria...
there is none to stop this human catastrophe....
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Jan 25, 2015 05:13pm
Does Germany supply arms to Israel?
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Jan 25, 2015 05:17pm
@Gautam ... Thanks... Pal....i have no interest in politics, i am a humanist. PAL...humanitarianism is not a purely Christian, Hindu, or a Muslim movement any more than it is a purely humanist one....
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Jan 25, 2015 06:08pm
Finally some one realized the truth
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Jan 25, 2015 06:38pm
"Weapons orders from Saudi Arabia have either been “rejected, pure and simple,” or deferred for further consideration, the newspaper said, adding that the information has not been officially confirmed."
"Deferred" is a more likely scenario till the price is right, which is no problem for KSA. Not right now anyway.
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Jan 25, 2015 06:50pm
Why would Saudi need arms if the region were stable?
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Jan 25, 2015 07:04pm
@Mashman bro life is struggle of evil and good, and society has both.peace is always depend on fight with evil, that why we are living in free society,
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Jan 25, 2015 07:30pm
Muslims shamelessly deny any rights to its minority and declare them self as Islamic republic which is clearly not acceptable to non Muslims ,then why do they demand equal rights in non-Muslim countries . why do Europe have to carry the burden of Muslims when non-Muslims are not even allowed to build their places of worship in KSA nor are they allowed to contest for any constitutional position . Can a non-Muslim ever be the president of Pakistan ?
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Jan 25, 2015 07:36pm
Saudis should not trust Germany, they should be buying arms from Russia and China and will be cheaper too.
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Jan 25, 2015 07:51pm
Perfect decision by Germany.
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Jan 25, 2015 08:24pm
@Mir Israel is the only liberal democracy in the middle east that follows law & order as the non Muslim world sees it. We obviously base our judgement on religion and support our coreligionists whether justified or not. We have become incapable of impartial and objective judgement when it comes to religion.
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Jan 25, 2015 08:34pm
@khanm well said
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Jan 25, 2015 08:59pm
Germany sent their ex-President for condolences? They should be sent Merkel herself.
Pakistan has been trying to woo KSA to buy Pakistani tanks, Ammunition and other defense equipment. But they never pay attention. They should invest in Pakistan defense industry as well as become a regular customer. This decision should be an eye opener for the things to come. Hope King Salman learnt a lesson here
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Jan 25, 2015 09:27pm
@Arshad Khan isreal is a exporter not importer
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Jan 25, 2015 09:29pm
Good show Germany. Don't sell any arms to Saudi Arabia which is a family not a country. In fact, break trade relations as well with them.
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Jan 25, 2015 09:30pm
@khanm - your blog made me sit upright and think. Thank you !
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Jan 25, 2015 11:37pm
@khanm? Really well said. There shall be a total ban on arms exports
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Jan 26, 2015 01:34am
What about arms exports to Israel..??? which is also in middle east. Israel killed more people than Saudia.
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Jan 26, 2015 01:41am
@Naeem like ur comment and agree
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Jan 26, 2015 02:15am
Pakistan can help Saudia to meet her genuine security needs.
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Jan 26, 2015 02:32am
@Sanjeev Kumar Yadav
Why, because, they are not a polytheist?
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Jan 26, 2015 03:22am
Many other arms sellers will jump in. This wont make any different. There are many sellers and not that many buyers. Once US is done with Saudi , they will also give them cold shoulder.
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Jan 26, 2015 05:18am
@M.M.Sherazi Yeah, they are sitting on oil so others will jump to fill the vacuum. But Germany i sdoing the right thing nonetheless.
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Jan 26, 2015 05:33am
@devinder singh ,yeh,they steel all the American technology through their spies and then produce,but they beg for other American armament and buy some on discounted rates or get free as a charity , a burden on American tax payer of course.
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Jan 26, 2015 05:34am
The German are afraid that the arms may fall in the wrong hand? There is more to this then what we are being told.The greatest fear is maybe in future the USA or another party will be selling some
more powerrful weapon which will be made to fall into the wrong hands so as to trigger a muclear war.
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Jan 26, 2015 05:38am
@Sanjeev Kumar Yadav .......we do not trust India either!
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Jan 26, 2015 05:40am
@shahaab .......just a few years ago all were fine with each other.Why now?Who is behind this enmity?
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Jan 26, 2015 06:18am
if i have to chose between saudi arabia and india....i would go with india.
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Jan 26, 2015 06:47am
The Saudis have a slave master mentality. The Palestinians who go there for work all return to Palestine.
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Jan 26, 2015 07:27am
Human rights violation??????
EVery looked at Palestine? Indian-occupied Kashmir??
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Jan 26, 2015 07:30am
Good news for Pakistan, our Ordinance factories are second to none, and must quickly step in to supply the void left by Germany.
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Jan 26, 2015 01:54pm
break all trade with saudi arabia.
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Jan 26, 2015 03:01pm
@rana1
and we can't even think of trusting your army and ISI buy I know a common Pakistani is nice.
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Jan 26, 2015 03:27pm
Till when the Muslim world depend upon the most unreliable west? Try to deal with China and Russia and also develop own facilities.
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Jan 27, 2015 07:57am
Why does Saudi need so many weapons? Who do they plan on using them on?
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Jan 27, 2015 07:59am
@Naeem Go further, ban all military weapons .
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Jan 27, 2015 11:02am
@mark "Muslims shamelessly deny any rights to its minority"
Who gave you this idea? Non muslims are living a privileged life in most Middles Eastern states and continue to prosper.
"why do Europe have to carry the burden of Muslims."
Europe and US do this because they need the manpower to fuel their economy, if you were self sufficient than immigration policies would not be such a great issue for your Governments.
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Jan 27, 2015 02:12pm
You all forget and start blame game against KSA. I lived in KSA and never found human rights violations. It is jut a propaganda against KSA. Anti Islamic elements are sweeping into Germany for no reason. They do not have realistic study of Islam or Muslims world. I do not defend extremists but I also never heard any direct extremist attack on Germany so this is beyond my understanding why anti-Islamic movement is getting momentum in Germany ? Why they are altogether silent about human rights violations in other parts of the world. We are watching many Anti-Islam protestants in Germany in the recent month and now this news emerge out of nowhere. Trust me KSA played center role in the development of west and USA and there are many things beyond the scope of this article that all oil money ultimately routed to west for different reasons. The rich Arabs spend their lavish money in western countries and Germany is one of them.
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Jan 28, 2015 02:33am
In 2012, the Saudi placed the largest arms order of $60-Billion, making them the largest purchaser of arms in the world. I only wonder who they are arming selves up for?? Israel??? No way. I also wonder how many poor Muslim children could have become doctors and engineers from this $60-billion. The biggest beneficiaries of this purchase were???? US and Britain followed by France.
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