Spain to hold talks with Saudi Arabia on differences over bomb deal: Defense chief
Tehran (KNA) - Spain says it will discuss with Saudi Arabia ways to resolve their differences over the sale of laser-guided bombs to the kingdom just days after blocking the shipment, in a move observers say is aimed at appeasing the Riyadh regime and maintaining other lucrative contracts with it.
Last week, Spain's Defense Ministry said it was halting a 2015 deal to sell 400 laser-guidedprecision bombs to Saudi Arabia due to Riyadh's role in the Yemen war.
The decision enraged Saudi Arabia, which is already under international pressure over rising civilian deaths amid its brutal military campaign on Yemen.
Then reports emerged that the kingdom was, in response to Mardid's move, planning to scrap a $2.2-billion contract to purchase five Corvette warships from Spanish state-owned military shipbuilder Navantia, a deal that involves 6,000 jobs in a country with one of Europe's highest unemployment rates.
On Monday, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles told a parliamentary commission that the issue would be resolved "amicably" based on a bilateral framework.
Source: PressTV