Scholz in Saudi Arabia: “Common interests” wanted – politics

Olaf Scholz cannot complain about the reception. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets the Chancellor from Germany at the gate of Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah with a handshake that is not exuberantly warm, but friendly. Scholz smiles in a good mood, his mission can begin. For him, it is the first meeting with the Saudi ruler, apart from a brief encounter during the G20 summit in Rome in 2021, to which he accompanied then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. As chancellor, Scholz has so far only spoken politely to the crown prince. Now, at the start of his golf journey, it’s about establishing a relationship with the man who is likely to steer the fortunes of the resource-rich kingdom for many decades to come. The consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have made Mohammed bin Salman, acronym MBS, a man much in demand in the West.

Many hopes are pinned on MBS when it comes to curbing spiraling commodity prices and compensating for the loss of Russian supplies. Germany is even more dependent on this than many others, although the federal government prefers to speak of “common interests”. Of course, “this is not an ordinary trip,” it is conceded. They are difficult partners that you meet there. Nevertheless, one cannot close oneself off from the talks. That’s “now the reality”. In the palace in Jeddah, the difficult partner proves to be at least extremely talkative: even the delegation talks lasted significantly longer than planned. In addition, both spoke privately for 25 minutes.

Joe Biden was there too, MBS as a guest in Paris

It has been just four years since the journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and then dismembered. According to Turkish and American findings, a 15-man commando from Saudi Arabia carried out the murder. The US identified Mohammed bin Salman as the alleged client, which Saudi Arabia has always denied. In the meantime, of course, the crown prince can feel rehabilitated. The Turkish judiciary closed the files in April. In July, French President Emmanuel Macron received him at the Elysée Palace. US President Joe Biden had previously paid his respects in Jeddah – although he had announced during the election campaign that he wanted to treat the crown prince like a leper.

You make no compromises “on the clear condemnation and classification of the murder of Khashoggi,” was assured in advance in Berlin. And of course “the issue of human and civil rights is one that we take with us on our journey”. It is difficult to say what impression this makes on the interlocutors. None of the rulers who will receive Scholz during his golf trip have agreed to hold a joint press conference. In the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, too, only Scholz will be able to report from the talks and possible successes.

Germany needs energy, MBS wants German armaments

“We have discussed all issues relating to civil and human rights,” said Scholz after the conversation with the crown prince, asking whether he had raised the Khashoggi case. Before that, however, he mentions the cooperation for a “CO2-neutral future”. The aim is to use hydrogen from Saudi Arabia “on a large scale” in the future. Germany is hoping for long-term green hydrogen for the energy transition from the region, but urgently needs deliveries for the liquid gas (LNG) terminals currently under construction. That was also the goal of a trip to the region by Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck in March, which, however, yielded far fewer concrete results than initially appeared. Now Habeck raised expectations again, this time for the Scholz trip. At the station in the United Arab Emirates, “certainly some contracts” for LNG could be concluded, he announced. It’s not about an “energy shopping spree,” the Scholz team made it clear. Above all, the trip should create a favorable environment. The actual negotiations are difficult because Germany fears overly long-term commitments out of concern for the energy transition.

The chancellor is accompanied by a business delegation, which includes the Hamburg port boss Jens Maier, the SAP CEO Christian Klein and Airbus boss Guillaume Faury, who is hoping for a major aircraft deal. The question of arms exports also resonates on the trip. Saudi Arabia is affected by the decision made by the old federal government not to export arms to countries involved in the Yemen war. Restrictions that Germany’s European partners, especially France, are not very enthusiastic about, because they impede exports in joint projects – or maintenance, as in the case of Saudi Eurofighters. Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) recently gave a keynote speech in favor of relying on European rules for arms exports and dispensing with stricter German requirements.

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