Merz, Germany's Merz, promises arms cooperation while he seeks to increase Qatari energy
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised to take a more-restrictive approach to arms exports to Gulf States during a visit to 'Qatar' on Thursday. The trip came as Europe’s largest economy seeks to deepen economic ties and to diversify its sources of energy.
Merz has launched a campaign aimed at promoting Germany as an attractive country for doing business, as the U.S. tariff policy is driving countries to look elsewhere for trade agreements.
Media reports claim that he has already visited Brazil, India, and South Africa. A trip to China is planned for this month.
Merz, who is traveling with CEOs from Uniper, Diehl Defence and others, stated that Germany will work "more intensely on arms?cooperation in recent years", with partners he called reliable in the Gulf Region.
He told journalists that "this is in our common interest because we want to make the world safer and this will only happen if we can defend ourselves."
He said that Germany wants to import more liquefied gas from Qatar than the 2 million tons it currently imports each year.
Merz, who spent Wednesday in Saudi Arabia and will be heading to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, believes that this would help ensure a reliable supply of energy and reduce dependence.
Merz said that, to build on this?foundation, he had invited Qatar’s emir to Berlin for an official visit in July.
His meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday in Riyadh was centered around expanding economic cooperation.
IRAN, HUMAN RIGHTS DISCUSSED
Merz stated on Thursday that he addressed the human right situation in the area during his meetings. This was a sensitive topic following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
He told journalists that "these are issues which play a part in discussions behind closed doors".
He said that concerns about an escalation of tensions between Iran, the United States and other countries also came up in his meetings and he promised Germany to do all it could to lower the temperature.
Merz said that a social media post by Iran's Foreign Minister calling him naive, distasteful and naive was a clear sign of "great anxiety and uncertainty." (Reporting and writing by Andreas Rinke; editing by Thomas Seythal, Susan Fenton, and Miranda Murray)
(source: Reuters)
