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A Spanish Defence Ministry spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday a media report that Spain has halted the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia amid concerns about their use in a conflict in Yemen.
Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser reported the Defence Ministry had started a process to cancel a contract signed between Spain and Saudi Arabia in 2015 to sell 400 laser-guided bombs, and would pay back 9.2 million euros already paid for the material.
The broadcaster added the bombs would have been used in Yemen.
Leonardo da Vinci’s "Salvator Mundi", a painting that courted controversy after Saudi Arabia's crown prince was named as its alleged secret buyer, will not be unveiled on schedule, Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism said on Monday.The portrait of Christ, which became the most expensive painting ever after a sale by Christie's auction house, was scheduled to be on display at the cfrom Sept. 18. The authorities did not specify a reason for the delay.The painting was purchased last November by an unidentified buyer bidding via telephone after a protracted contest of nearly 20 minutes.A report in the Wall Street Journal said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was identified as the buyer of the painting in U.S. intelligence reports, according to people with direct knowledge of the information, even as the 33-year-old son of the king pushes ambitious economic reforms that include austerity measures.A Saudi official denied that report at the time, and a document seen by Reuters showed that Saudi Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, a relative of the crown prince who subsequently became the kingdom's first culture minister, had been authorised to make the purchase on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism.The painting, only recently rediscovered, was the last da Vinci left in private hands and fetched more than four times Christie’s pre-sale estimate of about $100 million.
Abu Dhabi postpones unveiling of $450 mln da Vinci painting
"We confirm the news," a spokeswoman for the ministry said, declining to give any further details.
Amnesty International and other campaigners have denounced Western arms sales to Saudi Arabia and its allies in a deadly conflict in Yemen.
The U.S. on Sunday welcomed the Saudi Arabia-led coalition's admission that it had made "mistakes" in a deadly airstrike on a bus in Yemen that left scores of children dead."The United States regards the Saudi-led Coalition's announcement that it will review their rules of engagement, hold those at fault accountable, and compensate victims following the Joint Incident Assessment Team's finding that last month's Sa'ada air strikes lacked justification as an important first step toward full transparency and accountability," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.She said Washington continues to call on all sides to abide by the Law of Armed Conflict, to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, and thoroughly investigate and ensure accountability for any violations.Saudi-led coalition admits mistakes in Yemen bus strike"It is imperative that all parties work toward a comprehensive political solution to avoid further harm to the Yemeni people," read the statement.The statement came a day after the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said : "The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition expresses regret over the mistakes, extends its sympathies, condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims."On Aug. 9, a Saudi-led airstrike targeted a bus carrying children in Yemen’s northwestern Saada province. At least 50 people, mostly children, were killed and dozens of others injured.The coalition said it would undertake legal proceedings "to hold the ones who committed mistakes accountable". It also pledged voluntary assistance to those affected in the attack.Saudi official hints at plan to dig canal on Qatar borderUS aiding Saudi war crimes in Yemen: NY Times
US welcomes Saudi Arabia's admission about Yemen strike