BERLIN — Britain’s top diplomat has urged Germany to relax its ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia because they are affecting U.K. sales of weapons to — and by extension its influence with — the oil-rich kingdom. ADVERTISEMENTGermany rescinded existing arms export permits to Saudi Arabia last year in response to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The move, which amounts to an export ban, means Britain can’t ship war planes such as the Typhoon to Saudi Arabia because they contain German-made components. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting with Yemen’s government against Shiite Houthi rebels since 2015, leading to criticism of arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Germany’s restrictive stance on arms exports has also put it at odds with France.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 23, 2019 00:10 UTC