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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday for a state visit. This is the Crown Prince's first trip abroad since the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (November 23)
AP
In this photo taken on December 15, 2014, Jamal Khashoggi attended a press conference in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.(Photo: Mohammed Al-Shaikh, AFP / Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – Three countries have suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia, while the United States is trapped in the kingdom after the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
Finland and Denmark joined Germany this week to end all arms sales and military equipment to the Saudi government. Germany and Denmark cited the assassination of Khashoggi, while Finland said in a statement that its decision was largely related to the current humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
The assassination of Khashoggi in October in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul sparked criticism from Republicans and Democrats and put intense pressure on President Donald Trump to criticize a key US ally. United in the Middle East. After reports have appeared a CIA assessment concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing, Trump said the United States would stay with the kingdom.
The president quoted oil prices and an arms deal in his reasoning. He publicly questioned the CIA's assessment, highlighting Salman's denials even as the Saudi government's account of Khashoggi's fate had changed several times.
More: Jamal Khashoggi: Lawmakers promise thorough review of Trump's refusal to reprimand Saudis for murdering journalist
More: The CIA concludes that the Saudi Crown Prince ordered the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi: information
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On Thursday, Trump said that the crown prince "regretted death more than me" and reiterated his position that there was no conclusive evidence linking the Crown Prince to the murder of Khashoggi.
"The CIA does not say that she did it.It points out some things, and by pointing out these things, you can conclude that maybe he did it or not "said the president.
Meanwhile, other countries have taken steps to prevent future sales of arms to the regime by the regime and their war in Yemen, which has killed thousands of people, including children, and threatened millions of people to starve.
In a television interview on Thursday, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen called the Saudi regime "destructive in many areas" and said it was putting an end to military equipment exports because of "aggravation of the already dire situation in Yemen and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi."
Samuelsen said he hoped that "the Danish decision could create additional momentum and encourage more EU countries to support a strict implementation of the EU regulatory framework in this area. ", according to the Associated Press.
According to the PA, in 2017, Denmark's total exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to about 5.08 billion crowns, or 763 million dollars.
The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a similar announcement on Thursday too, stating that it would no longer allow future arms export licenses to sell materials to the Saudi government. The country specifically cited the worsening crisis in Yemen.
"The government has discussed issues related to the export of arms and decided that in the current situation, new arms export licenses to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are unfounded, "said the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. "In its deliberations, the government has focused on the alarming humanitarian situation in Yemen, in particular".
The two countries made their announcements after Germany had urged other European countries to end arms exports to Saudi Arabia last month, according to Reuters.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in October that the country would end any arms deal because of contradictory statements about Khashoggi's death. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told Reuters that the country hoped that other European allies would come together and thereby commit to putting more pressure on the Saudi government.
"Because it is only if all European countries are in agreement, it will make a strong impression on the Riyadh government," Altmaier said. "This will not have any positive consequences if we stop arms exports, but other countries are filling the gap at the same time."
Reuters reported that Germany had approved this year the export of weapons materials for an amount of about $ 462 million to the Saudi government.
An analyst said President Donald Trump's decision not to impose more sanctions on Saudi Arabia for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi is "a slap in the face of the intelligence community" (Nov. 20)
AP
In the United States, some members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, are still pushing for a more severe response to the death and dismemberment of Khashoggi.
Legislators had so far hardly reacted against Trump's foreign policy approach – straying as he embarked on a trade war, which he fought with long-time allies, and which he had adopted dictators from North Korea to Russia.
But the assassination of Khashoggi sparked a nascent legislative rebellion that should intensify when Democrats take control of the House in January. A clash around the journalist's assassination – and his wider membership in Saudi Arabia – could unfold as early as next week, when Congress needs to meet again.
Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, asked key Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, to present a confidential briefing on the murder of Khashoggi and the support of the United States. for a Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen.
Contribute: Deirdre Shesgreen and the Associated Press
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