German opposition urges government to stop Saudi tank deal

SPD foreign policy spokesman, Rolf Muetzenich warned against the planned sale of hundreds German-made combat tanks to Saudi Arabia, saying it violates the country's export guidelines as it would neither contribute to safeguarding regional peace or human rights which are two important criteria for allowing the arms deal.

A recent press report revealed that Germany plans to sell 600 to 800 Leopard 2 combat tanks to the Kingdom instead of the 200 to 300 it reported a year ago. The deal is estimated to be worth 10 billion Euros.

Meanwhile, German peace organizations have joined opposition parties and public protests against the planned sale of tanks to Riyadh.

Public protests and the German government’s refusal to comment on the issue have prompted the country’s parliament, Bundestag, to set up a committee for an official inquiry into the deal.

    The sale requires a green light from the top-secret National Security Council, headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel.


Many are concerned over the secretive nature of the deal, saying the tanks could be used to crush internal dissent in either Saudi Arabia or neighboring Bahrain where Riyadh has played a key role in smashing the popular uprising that started in March, 2011.

According to a report published by the London-based Amnesty International (AI), German weaponry including small firearms, ammunition and military vehicles have been massively deployed in the Middle East and North Africa to suppress peaceful protests.