Berlin rejects Israeli pressure over subs sale to Egypt
A German-built Type 209 attack submarine (AFP/File, Rodger Bosch)
BERLIN — German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere dismissed Israeli pressure not to sell two submarines to Egypt, while acknowledging the country was "not as stable" as he would like in an interview published Saturday.
"No country in the world has the right of veto to decisions taken by the German government," the minister told the Frankfurter Rundschau when asked to comment on the probable sale of two Type 209 attack submarines.
Questioned specifically about Israeli pressure not to go through with the deal, he repeated: "Nobody has the right of veto."
However he admitted that Egypt "is not as stable as I would like", while stressing this was a "personal point of view" and had "nothing to do with any possible transaction over submarines."
German arms sales to foreign countries have to be approved by a federal security commission, whose discussions and decisions are not disclosed.
The Internet site of the weekly Der Spiegel on Tuesday revealed that the commission was due to discuss the proposed sale again even though it gave the green light in November 2011.
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BERLIN — German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere dismissed Israeli pressure not to sell two submarines to Egypt, while acknowledging the country was "not as stable" as he would like in an interview published Saturday.
"No country in the world has the right of veto to decisions taken by the German government," the minister told the Frankfurter Rundschau when asked to comment on the probable sale of two Type 209 attack submarines.
Questioned specifically about Israeli pressure not to go through with the deal, he repeated: "Nobody has the right of veto."
However he admitted that Egypt "is not as stable as I would like", while stressing this was a "personal point of view" and had "nothing to do with any possible transaction over submarines."
German arms sales to foreign countries have to be approved by a federal security commission, whose discussions and decisions are not disclosed.
The Internet site of the weekly Der Spiegel on Tuesday revealed that the commission was due to discuss the proposed sale again even though it gave the green light in November 2011.
Read More......................
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