Report: German Government To Cancel Saudi Tank Deal
Apr. 13, 2014 - 11:31AM | By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140413/DEFREG01/304130012/Report-Germa=
n-Government-Cancel-Saudi-Tank-Deal

BERLIN =97 The German government will not approve a reported deal to sell u=
p =

to 800 battle tanks to Saudi Arabia, a German Sunday newspaper said, citing =

government sources.

The sale of the Leopard-2 tanks was billed as one of the biggest deals for =

the German armaments industry, Bild reported.

But Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, a Social Democrat in the left-right =

=93grand coalition,=94 has =93positioned himself against a tanks delivery t=
o the =

autocratic royal house,=94 it said, citing government sources.

=93Without agreement from the economy minister, the deal has no chance,=94 =
Bild =

said.

The report said the deal was not sent for approval to the German national =

security council, which counts Chancellor Angela Merkel among its members.

In 2012 Bild am Sonntag reported that Saudi Arabia wanted to buy 600-800 =

Leopard battle tanks from Germany, more than twice as many as originally =

envisaged.

Its latest report Sunday said Saudi Arabia was chasing the German tanks for =

years and had budgeted nearly =8018 billion ($25 billion) for them.

The Leopard-2 tanks, Germany=92s main battle tank, is also produced under =

license in Spain.

Germany declined to sell heavy weapons to Saudi Arabia for decades because =

of concerns over human rights and fears for Israel=92s security.

Contacted by AFP, an economy ministry spokeswoman said the government did =

not give information about =93individual procedural stages of possible =

approvals for export of munitions.=94 =

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