French President Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday dismissed as "demagoguery" the calls by several European countries including Germany to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
"What's the link between arms sales and Mr Khashoggi's murder? I understand the connection with what's happening in Yemen, but there is no link with Mister Khashoggi," Macron told a news conference in Slovakia.
"That's pure demagoguery to say 'we must stop arms sales'. It's got nothing to do with Mr Khashoggi," he added.
Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl told a German newspaper the European Union should halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the killing of Khashoggi, saying it could also help end "the terrible war in Yemen".
The comments from Austria, the current president of the EU, came after Germany said it would stop approving weapons exports to Saudi Arabia until Khashoggi's death at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is cleared up.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed again on Friday to halt all German arms exports to Saudi Arabia until the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was explained."It is necessary to clarify the background of this horrible incident," she said in Prague during a news conference with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis. "And if that does not happen, we will not deliver any arms to Saudia Arabia."Khashoggi's fiancee says journalist was 'worried' before entering Saudi consulateIran MP calls for ‘trying’ Riyadh over Khashoggi murderTurkish FM discusses Khashoggi case with Saudi counterpartCall by Khashoggi’s fiancée caused Saudi hit squad to panic, dump journo’s remains in well
Merkel says no arms to Saudi Arabia until Khashoggi killing explained
Austria has called on EU member states on Friday to stop arms exports to Saudi Arabia after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said the killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul was an “unprecedented breach of law”.She accused Saudi Arabia of practicing massive human rights violations at home, and their controversial policies in the Middle East region.“Especially the horrible war in Yemen and the Qatar crisis should be reason enough for European Union members to adopt a common stance towards Saudi Arabia,” Kneissl told Die Welt newspaper.Iran MP calls for ‘trying’ Riyadh over Khashoggi murder“If we all, the entire European Union, would stop arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia, this can contribute to ending these conflicts,” she added.Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post, was last seen on Oct. 2 when he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying involvement in his disappearance, Saudi Arabia on Saturday announced that he died in a fight inside the consulate.On Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate, but insisted that Mohamed bin Salman -- Saudi Arabia’s high-profile crown prince -- had been unaware of a plot to murder the journalist.Turkish FM discusses Khashoggi case with Saudi counterpartNorway wealth fund plans to double Saudi investmentsCall by Khashoggi’s fiancée caused Saudi hit squad to panic, dump journo’s remains in well
Austria calls on EU to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia