BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that her country risks being viewed as an unreliable partner in joint European defense industry projects.
Merkel’s comments Thursday came amid tensions with France and Britain over Berlin’s ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Paris and London say it prevents them selling jointly developed equipment with German components to the country.
Merkel said joint European projects require “reliability between partners.” She said other countries sometimes have different perspectives and Germany needs to discuss the matter, “otherwise we will be viewed as morally arrogant ... or we will be viewed as incapable of compromise.” She added there’s no use “paying lip-service to a great Europe and how we all want to work together.”
The chancellor’s coalition partners favor a very restrictive line on arms exports.
Merkel: Germany risks been viewed as unreliable on arms
Merkel: Germany risks been viewed as unreliable on arms
- Her comments came amid tensions with France and Britain over Berlin’s ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia
- She said there’s no use “paying lip-service to a great Europe”
G.Bissau opposition leader summoned by military court: sources
- Domingos Simoes Pereira, leader of the PAIGC party, which led the coastal west African country to independence from Portugal in 1974, was arrested on the day of the November coup
BISSAU: Guinea-Bissau’s main opposition leader has been summoned to appear before a military court over alleged links to multiple coup plots, judicial and military sources told AFP.
The junta has imprisoned senior politicians after overthrowing president Umaro Sissoco Embalo and seizing power in November, just days after presidential elections.
Domingos Simoes Pereira, leader of the PAIGC party, which led the coastal west African country to independence from Portugal in 1974, was arrested on the day of the November coup.
SPEEDREAD
• Domingos Simoes Pereira is suspected of involvement in at least two attempted coups, in late 2023 and October 2025, a source said.
• Guinea-Bissau has experienced five coups and a string of attempted military takeovers since independence.
• Crippling poverty, chaotic administration and political chaos have also made Guinea-Bissau a fertile ground for corruption.
He was freed late last month but was placed under house arrest because of separate investigations into alleged financial crimes.
He will be questioned on Friday for his “alleged involvement in a coup attempt,” a source close to the military court told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“There are a lot of suspicions hanging over him regarding his alleged involvement in several subversive actions,” a senior officer said.
Pereira is suspected of involvement in at least two attempted coups, in late 2023 and October 2025, the same source added.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced five coups and a string of attempted military takeovers since independence.
Crippling poverty, chaotic administration and political chaos have also made Guinea-Bissau a fertile ground for corruption and drug smuggling.
