Energy News
AEROSPACE
Germany ready to sell Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia
Germany ready to sell Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia
by AFP Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) Jan 8, 2024

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government on Monday defended plans to lift Germany's longstanding veto on sales of Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia, saying Riyadh has adopted a "constructive approach" in the Israel-Hamas war.

Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain jointly build the jet and each can veto deals.

Berlin has blocked one deal, sought by London, since 2018.

But German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, on a visit to Israel on Sunday, signalled that Berlin was ready to lift its blockade.

"We do not see ourselves, as the German federal government, opposing British considerations on other Eurofighter (sales)," Baerbock told journalists, as she underlined the Saudi role in the Middle East security crisis since the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

Scholz "shares this assessment," his spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Monday at a press conference, noting that "it is an open secret that Saudi Arabia's airforce has used Eurofighters to shoot down rockets launched by the Huthis on the way to Israel".

Germany has blocked arms sales to Riyadh since the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

That includes blocking a deal for 48 Eurofighter jets signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in London.

Baerbock noted that Saudi Arabia and Israel had "not renounced their policy of normalisation" since the war broke out.

"The fact that Saudi Arabia is now intercepting missiles fired by the Huthis at Israel underlines this, and we are grateful for that," she added.

"The fact that the Saudi air force also uses Eurofighters in this context is an open secret," the minister continued.

"Saudi Arabia is a key contributor to Israel's security, even these days, and is helping to stem the risk of a regional conflagration."

Germany's previous position against deliveries to the kingdom had put itself at odds with key partners, with Airbus chief Guillaume Faury saying in November that it was "damaging to Germany's reputation as an exporting nation".

"This raises the question of confidence and the credibility of Germany as a country participating in international programmes," he added.

Berlin's U-turn, however, risks opening up a new political row domestically, with Baerbock's Greens already uneasy about the move.

Co-chair of the Greens, Ricarda Lang, on Monday insisted that "with a view on the human rights situation, including Saudi Arabia's domestic constitution, I think as before that it is wrong to deliver Eurofighters" to the kingdom.

pw-smk/hmn/dlc/cw

Airbus Group

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AEROSPACE
Denmark says Ukraine to get F-16 jets in second quarter
Copenhagen (AFP) Jan 6, 2024
Denmark's transfer of 19 American-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will take place in the second quarter of 2024, once Ukrainian pilots have completed training, the defence ministry said Saturday. "Based on the current timetable, the donation should take place in the second quarter of 2024," the Danish ministry said in a statement. "It's mainly an issue of finishing the training of Ukrainian personnel who will operate the planes." Denmark, which is replacing its F-16 fleet with more modern ... read more

AEROSPACE
Sidus Marks Key Progress in AI sat tech ahead of LizzieSat-1 launch

Mapping the Unseen: How AI and Satellite Technology Reveal Offshore Activities

L3Harris enhances Canada's ISR capabilities with EO/IR Systems for SkyGuardian

NOAA Approves Sidus Space for Government and Commercial Earth Imaging

AEROSPACE
GMV reinforces satellite expertise with new Galileo Operations Center in Madrid

Airbus presents first flight model structure for Galileo Second Generation

Galileo Gen2 satellite production commences at Airbus facility

Galileo Second Generation satellite aces first hardware tests

AEROSPACE
Soil fungi may help explain the global gradient in forest diversity

Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon halved in 2023

A new map showing all above-ground biomass in the Brazilian Amazon

Drones help solve forest carbon capture riddle

AEROSPACE
Nigerians look to biofuel as cost of cooking gas soars

Chinese company gives leftover hotpot oil second life as jet fuel

Cheap and efficient ethanol catalyst from laser-melted nanoparticles

UK permits 'world-first' flight powered by sustainable fuels

AEROSPACE
Innovative catalyst achieves continuous CO2 conversion regardless of weather conditions

How black silicon, a prized material used in solar cells, gets its dark, rough edge

Juelich scientists uncover key efficiency mechanism in perovskite solar cells

Roof top solar proves to have key benefits over large solar farms

AEROSPACE
Danish firm to build huge wind farm off UK

UK unveils massive news windfarm investment by UAE, German firms

Wind and solar projects can profit from bitcoin mining

Winds of change? Bid to revive England's onshore sector

AEROSPACE
German emissions at 70-year low as coal use drops

Fears in Wales over legacy of its coalmining past

12 dead in northeast China coal mine accident

Coal use to decline next year after record high in 2023: IEA

AEROSPACE
Taiwan poll candidate Hou vows not to 'sell out' to China

Hong Kong man jailed over 'seditious' shirt

China's Xi vows intensified crackdown on corruption

China blasts UK, US 'malicious intentions in messing up Hong Kong'

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.