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EU lacks will to stop UK arms sales to Saudis: Analyst

Members of the European Parliament take part in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, February 2, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Press TV has interviewed Saeed Shehabi, a Middle East expert and commentator, about the European Parliament criticizing London’s arms sales to Riyadh amid Saudi Arabia’s bloody war on Yemen.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Ban Ki-moon came out last week condemning the UK for arms sales to Saudi Arabia; the UN has come out with reports condemning the sales, of which some include cluster bombs, which are against some international treaties. But, yet, nothing is done, the sales continue, and of course the bombing also continues. Do you think that the European Parliament is going to be successful in stopping arms sales to Saudi Arabia?

Shehabi: There is no strong will among the EU partners, the EU countries. Yes, the European Parliament will issue and most likely it will agree on a resolution condemning the sales of weapons to Saudis and they may also recommend that these sales be stopped.

However, whether there is a political will among the EU countries or not will depend on how much pressure the human rights bodies, the political parties and others will exert on those countries. You have to have a policy of name and shame, naming and shaming those who supply weapons to countries that use them against the international law as the Saudis are doing in Yemen.

Now it is clear that the UK… does not want. Until now, it is against the idea of stopping arms supplies to Saudis. However, when there is an EU resolution; it will give impetus and momentum and fuel to human rights bodies and anti-arms groups to exert more pressure on the British government to stop these supplies.

This is outrageous to see the UK supplying weapons to Saudis, who have committed massive, enormous war crimes in Yemen and also to Bahrainis, who are using these arms to kill and maim peaceful demonstrators.


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