Danish Foreign Ministry said Thursday that future approvals of weapons and military equipment exports to Saudi Arabia has been suspended in response to the murder of Saudi journalist, Khashoggi and the kingdom’s role in the conflict in Yemen
Germany also followed suit by halting all arms sales and suspending the issuance of future weapons export
France has said it will decide soon on sanctions over Khashoggi’s killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.
Saudi Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen in a statement said;
“With the continued deterioration of the already terrible situation in Yemen and the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, we are now in a new situation”
Denmark issued 10 such approvals last year, according to the ministry. Already given approvals will not be suspended, a spokesman said.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s biggest weapons importers. It heads a military coalition fighting in a civil war in Yemen in which tens of thousands of people have died and caused a major humanitarian catastrophe.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday praised Saudi Arabia for helping to lower oil prices but pressure intensified for the United States to impose tougher sanctions on its Middle East ally over Khashoggi’s killing.
