Opposition seems to be mounting to plans by West Germany to equip Saudi Arabia with the new German-made Leopard II tanks and other military materiel. While the Saudis contend that the arms shipments had been promised by Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, the veteran Social Democratic leader Herbert Wehner said that no majority for the deal is expected in the Bundestag faction of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In an interview with German television last Friday, Wehner, chairman of the SDP’s parliamentary faction, and one of the most influential members of the SDP, observed that during the summit meeting of the Islamic nations in Taif, Saudi Arabia last week, Saudi Arabia played a major role in urging a “jihad” (holy war) against Israel, “We do not want to be pulled into that,” Wehner said.
Willy Brandt, SDP chairman and former Chancellor, said Friday that “nobody here is in a mood to make a sudden decision (on the arms sales to Saudi Arabia). Our national interest is to get as little as possible involved in the area of arms sales.”
Meanwhile, 22 professors and 172 students at the Saint Georgen theological school in Frankfurt sent an open letter to Helmut Kohl, the leader of the opposition Christian Democrats, urging him to oppose the arms sale. Earlier, Kohl spoke out in favor of arms shipments to Saudi Arabia, saying it would be “smart” to help the Saudis in this way.
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