German gov't mum on controversial Saudi tank deal
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, July 3, IRNA -- The German government refused to comment on a report in the weekly Der Spiegel, saying Berlin had allowed the sale of 200 Leopard tanks to Saudi Arabia after decades of blocking heavy arms sales to the authoritarian regime.
Germany's national security council, Bundessicherheitsrat, approved the controversial sale last week, the Hamburg-based news magazine said.
A unnamed German government spokesman said he could not comment on the Spiegel report, pointing out that the national security council, which includes also the chancellor, foreign minister and defense minister, is meeting in secret.
The Saudis plan to buy 200 Leopard 2A7+ tanks in an order potentially worth billions of euros to companies German armament companies Kraus-Maffei and Rheinmetall.
The kingdom was in talks with the Spanish subsidiary of General Dynamics about buying their version of the Leopard tank, but the major portion of the order will reportedly land with the Germans.
Berlin has blocked the sale of Leopard 2 tanks to Saudi Arabia since the 1980s, afraid of the military equipment would be used against its closest ally in the Mideast, the Zionist regime.
According to military experts, the tanks could be used to crush street protests which is an especially sensitive issue since Saudi Arabian troops played a major role in crack-down on pro-democracy protests in neighboring Bahrain.
The center-right government of Chancellor Angela Merkel has faced mounting criticism for its weapons exports to Saudi Arabia, totalling 441 million euros between 2006-2009.
German hi-tech military gadgetry to the Arabian country included airplanes, spare parts for fighter jets, missile parts, refueling aircraft, grenades, sea mine removal instruments and communication systems.
Critics have slammed Germany for arms exports to the volatile Middle East region since the German constitution bans arms sale to crisis areas.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30459557
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