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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/29/yemen-houthi-leader-attacks-uk-german-arms-sale-ban-saudi-arabia
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| Houthi leader attacks UK over efforts to relax German arms sale ban | Houthi leader attacks UK over efforts to relax German arms sale ban |
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| The leader of the Houthi movement in Yemen has condemned the British foreign secretary for pressing Germany to relax its arms sales ban on Saudi Arabia, saying it was not possible for the UK to be a peace-broker in the country and an arms seller. | The leader of the Houthi movement in Yemen has condemned the British foreign secretary for pressing Germany to relax its arms sales ban on Saudi Arabia, saying it was not possible for the UK to be a peace-broker in the country and an arms seller. |
| “Britain sending aid does not change the tragic reality of its arms sales. Jeremy Hunt cannot promote peace while at the same time acting as an arms salesman,” said Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the supreme revolutionary committee, in an interview with the Guardian. | |
| His comments are the most direct criticism yet of Hunt, who has been acting as a mediator in the four-year civil war in Yemen. | |
| Houthi was speaking after the German coalition government reached a compromise in which it extended its ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia for another six months to 30 September, but inserted a loophole that allows German defence firms until the end of the year to complete contracts that supply parts for UK and France arms sales. The German government said efforts would be made to ensure that these jointly supplied arms were not used in the war in Yemen, although how such a condition can be enforced is unclear. | Houthi was speaking after the German coalition government reached a compromise in which it extended its ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia for another six months to 30 September, but inserted a loophole that allows German defence firms until the end of the year to complete contracts that supply parts for UK and France arms sales. The German government said efforts would be made to ensure that these jointly supplied arms were not used in the war in Yemen, although how such a condition can be enforced is unclear. |
| A half-complete bilateral German contract for 35 patrol boats may also be allowed to go ahead, but not sent to Saudi Arabia. | A half-complete bilateral German contract for 35 patrol boats may also be allowed to go ahead, but not sent to Saudi Arabia. |
| Britain has been worried about the sale of 48 Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia, and needs parts from Germany. Britain says its arms sales are lawful since the weapons are not at risk of being used in breach of international humanitarian law. | Britain has been worried about the sale of 48 Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia, and needs parts from Germany. Britain says its arms sales are lawful since the weapons are not at risk of being used in breach of international humanitarian law. |
| Both Hunt and the French government have been lobbying the German coalition to allow the arms sales, but there has been an impasse between the SDP, which opposes to the sales, and the CDU, which backs them. | Both Hunt and the French government have been lobbying the German coalition to allow the arms sales, but there has been an impasse between the SDP, which opposes to the sales, and the CDU, which backs them. |
| The resolution of the German dispute is seen by the European arms industry as critical to ensuring Europe has an integrated defence policy. | The resolution of the German dispute is seen by the European arms industry as critical to ensuring Europe has an integrated defence policy. |
| Condemning the UK role, Houthi added: “Mr Hunt has gone beyond defending British arms sales, by attempting to pressure other European countries, such as Germany, to sell arms. | Condemning the UK role, Houthi added: “Mr Hunt has gone beyond defending British arms sales, by attempting to pressure other European countries, such as Germany, to sell arms. |
| “If it wasn’t for the joint British, US, Saudi, and UAE naval forces, the existing famine and the tragic humanitarian situation wouldn’t reach such critical levels, including as he admits about 24 million Yemeni need an emergency aid of food and medicine.” | “If it wasn’t for the joint British, US, Saudi, and UAE naval forces, the existing famine and the tragic humanitarian situation wouldn’t reach such critical levels, including as he admits about 24 million Yemeni need an emergency aid of food and medicine.” |
| Houthi said: “The Saudi-led coalition, backed by Britain, commits war crimes and does not abide by, as Britain claims, ‘the most stringent guidelines for the export of weapons in the world’. The principles mentioned are solely for political speech and to avoid the legal and moral responsibility concerning the war crimes and humanitarian situation that the British government faces as part of such alliance”. | Houthi said: “The Saudi-led coalition, backed by Britain, commits war crimes and does not abide by, as Britain claims, ‘the most stringent guidelines for the export of weapons in the world’. The principles mentioned are solely for political speech and to avoid the legal and moral responsibility concerning the war crimes and humanitarian situation that the British government faces as part of such alliance”. |
| The German impasse over arms sales deepened after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist killed in Istanbul by a Saudi hit-squad. It imposed its sales ban in November and this Sunday was the deadline for the ban to end unless an extension was agreed. | The German impasse over arms sales deepened after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist killed in Istanbul by a Saudi hit-squad. It imposed its sales ban in November and this Sunday was the deadline for the ban to end unless an extension was agreed. |
| Britain has been joined by France in demanding the arms sales ban be relaxed. France’s ambassador to Germany, Anne-Marie Descôtes, said in an open letter this week that the German arms export policy and cumbersome licensing rules threatened future bilateral defence projects. | Britain has been joined by France in demanding the arms sales ban be relaxed. France’s ambassador to Germany, Anne-Marie Descôtes, said in an open letter this week that the German arms export policy and cumbersome licensing rules threatened future bilateral defence projects. |
| The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, was in Riyadh this week to discuss the stalled peace effort in Yemen, including the question of the Saudi-backed and UN-recognised government of Yemen accepting a new security force in the Red Sea port of Hodeida. Diplomats fear that neither side – the Iranian-supported Houthi rebels and and the Saudi-backed government – have sufficient incentive to compromise. The civil war is still raging in other parts of the country, with both sides accused of war crimes. | The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, was in Riyadh this week to discuss the stalled peace effort in Yemen, including the question of the Saudi-backed and UN-recognised government of Yemen accepting a new security force in the Red Sea port of Hodeida. Diplomats fear that neither side – the Iranian-supported Houthi rebels and and the Saudi-backed government – have sufficient incentive to compromise. The civil war is still raging in other parts of the country, with both sides accused of war crimes. |
| Yemen | Yemen |
| Arms trade | Arms trade |
| Germany | Germany |
| Europe | Europe |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
| Jeremy Hunt | Jeremy Hunt |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia |
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