Defense - German government hardly approves arms exports to Turkey
The German government has hardly approved any arms exports for NATO partner Turkey this year. By December 3, the traffic light gave the green light for 17 applications worth a total of 1.22 million euros. War weapons exports were no longer approved at all. This is according to an answer from the Ministry of Economics to a question from MP Sevim Dagdelen from the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance, which is available to the German Press Agency.
Until the failed military coup in Turkey in 2016, the German government had approved large-scale arms exports to the country, including the delivery of components for six submarines, which was heavily criticized by Greece. Following the attempted coup and the invasion of Syria by Turkish troops, exports were significantly reduced and have only been in the low double-digit or even single-digit million range in recent years.
Communication equipment and hunting weapons
A new low has now been reached. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, licenses were issued for cooperation projects or for deliveries with a NATO connection. In addition, the export of detection, decontamination and communication equipment as well as hunting weapons has been approved.
However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it clear during his visit to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin in November that he would like to see stronger cooperation in the field of armaments. "Our NATO ally Germany must of course also take decisive steps when we talk about armaments, industry and exports, for example. This must be possible without hindrance," he said. Among other things, Turkey wants to buy 40 Eurofighter fighter jets, which are co-produced by Germany.
Arms exports worth around 13 million euros for Saudi Arabia
The German government has already provisionally rejected the delivery of Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia. However, it relaxed its strict export restrictions for the regional power with large energy reserves somewhat in July. So far this year, arms exports worth 13.26 million euros have been approved for Saudi Arabia, including 7.41 million euros for weapons of war.
Deliveries were also approved for other countries in the region such as Egypt (40.31 million euros), Qatar (15.06 million euros) and the United Arab Emirates (78.24 million euros). Dagdelen sharply criticizes this: "It is a moral revelation that the Ampel is supplying massive amounts of armaments to areas of war and tension in the Middle East instead of supporting a ceasefire in the Gaza war. The German government has nothing to do with a restrictive arms export policy."
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- Despite Turkey's request for stronger cooperation in the defense industry, the German government has hardly approved any arms exports to its NATO partner this year.
- Germany's arms exports to NATO ally Turkey have significantly decreased since the failed military coup in 2016 and the invasion of Syria.
- The Ministry of Economic Affairs has approved cooperation projects and deliveries with NATO connections, as well as hunting weapons and communication equipment, to Turkey.
- Erdogan, the Turkish President, expressed his desire for stronger cooperation in armaments during his visit to Olaf Scholz in Berlin, stating that Germany's decisive steps are crucial in the field.
- Turkey has requested the purchase of 40 Eurofighter fighter jets, co-produced by Germany, but the German government has not yet approved their delivery due to export restrictions.
- Arms exports worth around 13 million euros have been approved for Saudi Arabia this year, including 7.41 million euros for weapons of war.
- The German government has, however, slightly loosened its strict export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and other regional powers with large energy reserves like Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
- Dagdelen, an MP from the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance, sharply criticizes the large-scale arms exports to the Middle East, calling the German government's policy a moral revelation.
- The Federal Government is responsible for the approvals in the defense industry, under the supervision of BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action).
- The German Press Agency, a renowned German news agency, reports on the German government's arms export policy and its approvals for various countries.
Source: www.stern.de
