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"The case of journalist Khashoggi is, of course, something unbelievable, I said to the King of Saudi Arabia during our telephone conversation," Merkel said at a press conference. a press conference with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
"We need to clarify the context of this horrific crime and by then, we will not provide weapons to Saudi Arabia," she added, reiterating the comments made earlier this week.
This position provoked a clash with the Frenchman Macron who told the press in Bratislava on Friday that the cessation of arms sales to Saudi Arabia would be a "pure demagoguery".
The sale of weapons "has nothing to do with Mr. Khashoggi.You should not mix everything," he said.
Merkel also insisted on Friday that "Saudi Arabia must do everything possible to solve the urgent humanitarian situation in Yemen.There are currently millions of people who are hungry, we are witnesses to this. one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes ".
Last month, Germany approved arms exports to Saudi Arabia for an amount of 416 million euros (480 million dollars). Previously, military exports from Berlin to Saudi Arabia consisted mainly of patrol boats.
Germany and Saudi Arabia only returned their ambbadadors in September, after 10 months of icy relations, following Berlin's criticism of the interference Saudi in Lebanese affairs.
The Khashoggi case opened a serious new dispute with its European partners, Britain, France, and Germany, jointly calling Riyadh to clarify how Khashoggi died at the same time. interior of his consulate in Istanbul and to ensure that his account is "credible".
After two weeks of refusal, Saudi authorities acknowledged Saturday that Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and prominent critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed after entering the consulate in Turkey on 2 October.
But his belated explanation that he died in a "fight" sparked more and more disbelief, as world powers demand answers and the location of his body.
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