Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The United Kingdom has decided to resume arms sales to Saudi Arabia, dismissing unfounded claims of their possible use in the war in Yemen.

Sales were suspended last year after a legal challenge by “politically-motivated” campaigners.

In a written statement to the British parliament on Tuesday, Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss said there is no “clear risk” that military equipment sold to Saudi Arabia might be used in serious human rights abuses and so the trade can resume.

According to the statement: "The undertaking that my predecessor gave to the Court — that we would not grant any new licenses for the export of arms or military equipment to Saudi Arabia for possible use in Yemen — falls away.

"As a result, Truss said, “the government will now begin the process of clearing the backlog of license applications for Saudi Arabia”.

Later in the day, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Khalid Bin Salman received a phone call from British Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace.

During the telephone call, they discussed the partnership between the two countries, especially in the defense field, along with the efforts being exerted by the two countries to enhance regional and international security.

According to a report in The Guardian, Britain is a major supplier of arms to Saudi Arabia. The leading arms maker, BAE Systems, sold arms worth 15 billion pounds ($18.8 billion) to the Kingdom over the last five years, principally supplying and maintaining Tornado and Typhoon aircraft.