Iran Press/Europe: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday refused to answer questions about stopping arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite German chancellor Angela Merkel call on EU countries to halt arm deal to Riyadh.
"This has nothing to do with what we're talking about. Nothing. So I won't answer that question. I'm sorry but as long as I'll be in office this is how it will be, whether people like it or not." France's Macron said in Paris weapon show.
Described as "visibly angered" by Reuters, Macron was asked a follow-up question about the Khashoggi death by another journalist and said: "It's not because one leader says something that I must react to it every time. So I won't answer that."
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Macron downplaying arms sales with Saudi Arabia said "Saudi Arabia was not a major client of France", while French defense minister, Florence Parlyh said far more bluntly that arms sales are crucial for jobs, Euro News reported.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday called the killing of Khashoggi a "monstrosity" vowed to halt all German arms exports to Riyadh until the case is cleared up and called on its European partners to follow its example and stop arms exports to the kingdom.
Also US President Donald Trump under public pressure for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's role in Khashoggi's death and his brutal war in Yemen didn’t accept to stop weapon sales to Saudi Arabia and said US jobs depended on the sale of weapon to Saudi-like regimes.
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Despite a global outcry about Saudi Arabia's human right abuses and their ongoing carnage on Yemen, Spain's congress also refuses to block weapons deals with Riyadh.
Top ten countries according to value of licenses issued in 2016 – Source: Official Journal of the European Union, volume 61, February 14, 2018
Saudi Arabia from 2008-2017 was the second-biggest purchaser of French arms, with deals totaling more than 12.6 billion US Dollars for tanks, armored vehicles, munitions and artillery.
Based on the most recent data from the European after France, UK is in second place in terms of weapon exports to the Saudi Arabia.
In Europe Germany, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria all made sales of over €100 million to Saudi Arabia, according to the value of licences issued in 2016.
US alone supply more than half (53%) of Saudi arsenals. Weaponry which mostly used in Yemen and Saudi send for his proxy fighters in the Middle East.
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