France has complained that joint arms manufacturing projects are being stalled by Berlin's refusal to authorise future arms export licences to Saudi Arabia, a major buyer. Germany said in November it would reject future arms export licences to Riyadh over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "It is useless to produce weapons through improved cooperation between France and Germany if we are unable to export them," Le Maire told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "Our hope is that we will come to an agreement with Germany in this crucial point," Le Maire said. Germany and France are working on a joint proposal for arms export guidelines to non-European countries.

Source: bd News24 February 23, 2019 22:52 UTC