German Authorities Working With Arms Exporters To Stop Supplies To Saudi Arabia - Official

The German government is exerting pressure on holders of individual licenses to stop arms supplies to Saudi Arabia, which has already resulted in the end of the weapons' exports to the kingdom after the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a spokesman for the German Ministry of Economy and Energy said on Monday.

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th November, 2018) The German government is exerting pressure on holders of individual licenses to stop arms supplies to Saudi Arabia, which has already resulted in the end of the weapons' exports to the kingdom after the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a spokesman for the German Ministry of Economy and Energy said on Monday.

On October 27, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Berlin would seek a halt to arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the death of Khashoggi.

"We are exerting influence on the holders of actual individual licenses, which resulted in the halt of the German [arms] exports to Saudi Arabia," the official said.

Earlier on Monday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Germany had banned 18 Saudi citizens, suspected of being involved in the murder of Khashoggi, from entering the country.

Khashoggi, The Washington Post columnist, known for his criticism of Saudi policies, went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After initially denying any knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts, Riyadh admitted later in October that the journalist had been killed in a fight inside the consulate.