zondag 2 september 2018

Week 35 in #wapenhandel25tweets


(Gaarne 'liken' of delen als je het nuttig of interessant vindt.
Please like or share if it is helpful or interesting for you.)



Netherlands / Nederland (see 19, 22)




2 – 3010918: Summary and unofficial translation of the letter on the current state of and the position of the Netherlands concerning the recast of Council Regulation 428/2019 ("the Dual-Use Regulation") to the Dutch House of Representatives: https://fullcirclecompliance.eu/a-p-bosch-v-j-a-goossen-dutch-government-presents-perspective-on-recast-of-the-eu-dual-use-regulation/

3 – 020918: Melchemie again in the picture, because of a political boykot, and a personal damages claim (by law office MM Law) The company provided chemicals for Iraq's chemical weapon program in the eighties. [in Dutch] https://www.destentor.nl/bronckhorst/miljardair-melchers-bij-omstreden-werkbezoek-statenleden-ik-ben-strijdlustig~a22ddcce/

EUROPE

4 – 010918: German Finance Minister Scholz echoes French call for EU defence (industry mergers) to cut US dependency. https://global.handelsblatt.com/politics/scholz-echoes-french-call-for-eu-defense-to-cut-us-dependency-trans-atlantic-trump-overhaul-germany-heiko-maas-958825

Bosnia / Bosna i Hercegovina

5 – 300818: In 2017, Bosnia and Herzegovina exported arms and ammunition worth 193.9 million marka, up 13.3% on the year. The biggest market for exports was Saudi Arabia, followed by Afghanistan, the U.S., Turkey, Egypt, UAE, Serbia, Morocco, Germany and Croatia. https://seenews.com/news/bosnian-arms-maker-igmans-net-profit-rises-slightly-in-h1-625002

France

6 – 020918: NGOs, notably Amnesty International, have accused France of complicity in war crimes by continuing to sell arms to France Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which is part of the coalition, but Minister denied. http://en.rfi.fr/20180901-defence-minister-denies-french-arms-used-yemen-conflict via @RFI_English

Germany / Deutchland (see also 4, 12, 24-25)

7 – 300818: German shipbuilders push for government favor against European rivals #Damen https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/08/30/german-shipbuilders-push-for-government-favor-against-european-rivals/

Switzerland / Suisse

8 – 010918: The Swiss Security Commission of the Council of States (SIK-S) gave the green light to arms deliveries to countries in civil war. Under Urdner Josef Dittli (61, FDP), it has thus completed what was initiated at the request of the defense industry. https://www.blick.ch/news/politik/gruenes-licht-fuer-mehr-ruestungsexporte-staenderaete-winken-waffen-fuer-buergerkriege-durch-id8790793.html

Turkey / Türkiye (see also 5)

9 – 270818: The good part of bad news: Turkey’s defense and procurement planners now worry that the plunge of the national currency could expose foreign currency-related weapons programs to the risk of major delays or suspension. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/08/27/currency-crisis-risks-turkish-defense-programs/

REST of the world

Afghanistan (see 5)
Armenia / Hayastan (see 10)
China / Zhōngguó (see 20)
Egypt / Mişr (see 5)
Iraq / Al-'Iraq (see 3)

Israël / Isra'il

10 – 300818: Israeli Kamikaze Drone-makers to Be Charged With Fraud Ten Aeronautics employees are expected to be charged with aggravated fraud and violating defense export laws https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-kamikaze-drone-makers-to-be-charged-after-testing-on-armenian-troops-1.6430407

Morocco / Al-Maghrib (see 5)

Saudi Arabia / Al-Arabiyah as Sa'udiyah (see also 5, 6)

11 – 270818: Saudi military industries firm names former Airbus, Rheinmetall exec, Andreas Schwer, as CEO. Long interview with Schwer, but the most important issues are missing. https://www.defensenews.com/interviews/2018/08/27/head-of-saudi-arabias-defense-industry-umbrella-org-talks-vision-2030/

12 – 290818: Stefan Liebich (German Linke) stated the hypocrisy (Leisetreterei) must end: a clear signal should be to stopp the arms exports" to Riyhadh. https://www.pressreader.com/germany/der-tagesspiegel/20180828/281590946428166

UAE / Al-Imarat Al-Arabiyah Al-Muttahidah (see 5, 6)

Ukraine / Ukrajina

13 – 020918: Escalate! Washington is ready to expand arms supplies to Ukraine in order to build up the country’s naval and air defence forces in the face of continuing Russian support for eastern separatists, according to the US special envoy for Ukraine. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/31/ukraine-kurt-volker-us-arms-supplies

Yemen / Al-Yaman (see also 6)

14 – 270818: Without US and UK arms their wouldn't be war in Yemen, states Dutch columnist Carolien Roelants in major Dutch daily. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2018/08/27/trump-levert-de-wapens-voor-oorlogsmisdrijven-in-jemen-a1614308 via @nrc

15 – 270818: There is mounting pressure to account for US aid to the Saudi-led bombing campaign, given the growing toll of civilian casualties. However, the Senate’s Republican leadership rejected an amendment to the defense appropriations bill to cut off support. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2018/08/27/can-the-us-tell-when-its-weapons-are-used-in-yemen-its-complicated/

16 – 290818: "Report notes that coalition air strikes have caused most direct civilian casualties." Who sold the fighter aircraft and bombs? Who is providing air refueling and intelligence? https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=23479&LangID=E

17 – 290818: Yemen: Civil War and Regional Intervention Congressional Research Service https://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/R43960.pdf

18 – 300818: Trump is unlikely to lean on Riyadh, but the military have begun to speak out & Congress has begun to act. A defense policy bill asks for a certification the coalition prevents civilian deaths. Next move: cut off military aid to Saudi Arabia until ,,, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/28/opinion/us-yemen-saudi-arabia-trump-civilian-casualties.html



DEFENCE-INDUSTRY

Damen (see 7)

Thales

19 – 280818: Raytheon awarded $25m contract for Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Block I life-of-type-buy and assembly-level spares. Work will be performed in ... Hengelo, Netherlands (4%); Glenrothes Fife, Scotland (4%); ... is expected to be completed June 2021. #Thales https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1612374/

WEAPENS

Drones (see also 10)

20 – 270818: China in race for counter-drone tech as it tries to catch up with US https://sc.mp/2PDgVHz  The drones that have become part of China’s military strategy https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2161354/drones-have-become-part-chinas-military-strategy via @SCMPNews

F-35

21 – 300818: #F35 flying fraud: Officials on a review board for the US DoD F-35 program downgraded the specified severity of potentially serious design flaw, some without any apparent resolution in place, according to an internal document leaked Wednesday. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4741475-JSFPO-Deficiency-Review-Board-Minutes-04-June-2018.html

22 – 010918: Contour is a participant in the Lockheed Martin Product Support Provider network (PSPn), supporting F-35 non-air vehicle products such as aircraft ground support equipment, pilot simulators and information technology equipment in The Netherlands.

Robot weapons / AI

23 – 260818: Following the #CCWUN on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems? Check out the @sipriorg report by @BoulaninSIPRI and myself on "Mapping the Development of Autonomy in Weapon Systems" - https://www.sipri.org/publications/2017/other-publications/mapping-development-autonomy-weapon-systems

OTHER

Corruption (see 21)

Research and activism

24 – 290818: Action camp to demonstrate against the Rheinmetall Defense Group August 29 - September 4th. [In German] http://www.taz.de/Archiv-Suche/!5528194&s=&SuchRahmen=Print/

25 – 290818: Peace activists want to demonstrate on Sunday in Unterlüß (district Celle) against the weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall. The protest alliance of 50 peace groups, unions and parties. https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/lueneburg_heide_unterelbe/Demo-gegen-Rheinmetall-in-Unterluess,rheinmetall184.html

This is a selection from a larger amount of tweets. Tweets with a relation the Netherlands, arms trade and defence-industry weight heavier in the selection. If you want to have them daily see http://twitter.com/martinbroek
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