Move FM Global News

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Denmark has become the second country in Europe to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

The country also cited the war in Yemen and the resultant humanitarian crisis in coming to its decision, the Danish foreign ministry said on Thursday. 

“Saudi Arabia plays clearly a negative role in the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the killing of Khashoggi. It is time to send a clear warning signal from Europe to Saudi Arabia,” Denmark said in an official statement.

Denmark joins Germany which previously announced it had halted all arms sales to Riyadh.

France is also considering whether it will suspend sales as well. The country says it will make a decision soon on sanctions over the Khashoggi killing.

There has been international outrage over the disappearance and death of the Washington-based journalist who Saudi Arabia admits now was murdered at the Istanbul consulate, where he went missing on 2 October.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ruled out taking any action against Saudi Arabia, although it has taken imposed travel restrictions on seventeen individuals Saudi officials have identified as having been involved in the abduction and murder of Khashoggi, and the disposal of his dismembered body.

Denmark Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen criticised the United States for continuing to sell arms to the Saudi regime, while it applauded Germany for its stance and said he believed other countries in the European Union will likely follow suit.

Aside from the Khaskoggi killing, European countries have long voiced concern over the war in Yemen, which the United Nations says has brought about the worst humanitarian crisis in the

There are currently feverish negotiations underway to end the war with both the Saudi- led coalition and the al-Houthi rebels agreeing to negotiations being brokered by the UN mediator Martin Griffiths. Talks are expected to get underway within the next two weeks. In the meantime more than half the population of the country (14 million people) are at risk of famine in what the United Nations has described as the worst humanitarian crisis in history.