Denmark gives green light to arms sales to two countries

Denmark announced the end of the ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under its new foreign policy doctrine “pragmatic realism”.

In an interview with the news organization Politiken on March 9, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated that the bans imposed in 2018 and 2019 will be lifted due to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen. However, Rasmussen stressed that the ministry will carry out an annual country review and security assessment to prevent the use of Danish weapons against its own people or in wars “waged inappropriately by the countries concerned.”

Rasmussen pointed out that his country’s defense industry needs to find a balance that allows it to participate in international competition, have the same opportunities as other countries in job creation and development, and protect some basic principles.

Explaining that the decisions to lift the ban on arms sales were made within the scope of Denmark’s new foreign policy doctrine, Rasmussen noted that this doctrine, which they defined as “pragmatic idealism” or “pragmatic realism,” clearly differed of the “doctrine of value”. based foreign policy” of his predecessors.

According to media reports, Denmark has more than 200 companies in the defense sector. (AA)