ADVERTISEMENT

Spanish Deputies Reject Proposal to Stop Saudi Arabia Arms Sales

Spanish Deputies Reject Proposal to Stop Saudi Arabia Arms Sales

(Bloomberg) -- Spanish deputies rejected a proposal in the defense affairs committee of parliament to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

The proposal by the so-called mixed group which includes deputies from smaller parties including Catalan nationalists was defeated by votes from the ruling Socialists and the opposition People’s Party in a session Tuesday.

The issue of suspending Spanish arms sales to Saudi Arabia in politically sensitive because state-owned shipbuilder Navantia has a contract to supply warships to the country. In September, Spain considered suspending sales of high-precision bombs to Riyadh but opted not to do so.

Pressure on the Spanish government to suspend weapons sales has risen in the wake of international condemnation of the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

To contact the reporter on this story: Charles Penty in Madrid at cpenty@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Vidya Root at vroot@bloomberg.net, Ben Sills

©2018 Bloomberg L.P.