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UP FRONTFriday 23 March 2018
Mattis praises Saudis, $1B arms sale to be approved
By ROBERT BURNS Defense Secretary Jim Mattis welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Pen- in the kingdom's arsenal.
AP National Security Writer tagon with an Honor Cordon, in Washington, Thursday, March 22, 2018. During a photo-taking ses-
WASHINGTON (AP) — De- sion with the crown prince,
fense Secretary Jim Mattis (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Mattis was asked by a re-
on Thursday said Saudi Ara- porter whether he would
bia was "part of the solu- the Trump administration valued at more than $1 bil- made anti-tank missiles, raise concerns about civil-
tion" in Yemen, where the told Congress on Thursday lion. The State Department along with servicing, main- ian casualties in Yemen.
Saudis are leading a U.S.- it planned to approve an said the package includes tanence and parts for heli- Mattis said the U.S is working
supported military cam- arms sale to Saudi Arabia up to about 6,700 U.S.- copters and tanks already with the U.N.'s new envoy
paign against Houthi rebels to Yemen, Martin Griffiths of
that is heavily criticized for Britain, in pursuit of a politi-
inflicting civilian casualties. cal solution to the civil war,
Mattis spoke at the start of which has killed more than
a Pentagon meeting with 10,000 civilians since it start-
Saudi Crown Prince Mo- ed in March 2015.
hammed bin Salman, who "We believe that Saudi Ara-
is on a three-week U.S. visit. bia is part of the solution,"
Earlier this week the Senate Mattis said. He added:
debated and then shelved "They have stood by the
a resolution calling for an United Nations-recognized
end to U.S. support for the government, and we are
Saudi-led coalition in Ye- going to end this war. That
men. Mattis had opposed is the bottom line. And we
the measure, saying it are going to end it on posi-
would be counterproduc- tive terms for the people
tive by increasing civilian of Yemen but also security
casualties, jeopardizing for the nations in the pen-
counterterrorism coopera- insula."
tion and emboldening Iran In prepared remarks, Mattis
to increase its support for said the U.S. has a strong re-
Houthi rebels. lationship with Saudi Arabia
In another vote of confi- in fighting extremists and
dence in the Saudi military, deterring malign activities
by Iran. He said a political
US-EU trade war likely averted, for now settlement in Yemen would
protect Saudi Arabia and
By LORNE COOK to news of the exemption. The EU is the world's biggest lies, such as the EU. deny safe haven to terror-
GEIR MOULSON trading bloc and it had European Parliament Presi- ists.
Associated Press "A trade war would have drawn up a list of dozens dent Antonio Tajani told re- "Your significant amounts
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- of U.S goods — from pea- porters that "if official con- of humanitarian aid is criti-
pean Union and the U.S. damaged both sides," Aus- nut butter to motorcycles, firmation arrives, then that cal to help the innocent
seem to have averted a worth 2.8 billion euros ($3.4 will certainly be a piece of caught up in this conflict
trade war for now, after the trian Chancellor Sebastian billion) in trade annually — news that goes in the right (and) we applaud you for
administration of President upon which it could impose direction. The U.S. and Eu- that," he told the crown
Donald Trump said Thurs- Kurz tweeted from a sum- retaliatory tariffs. rope are two sides of the prince.q
day it was ready to exempt Trump had planned to im- same coin and I don't think
the 28-country bloc from mit of leaders in Brussels. pose tariffs of 25 percent we should get involved in a
tariffs on steel and alumi- on imported steel and 10 trade war."
num. In Washington, U.S. Trade percent on aluminum. The Earlier, Germany's econ-
EU leaders, who had threat- sanctions are meant to omy minister said he had
ened to retaliate to any Representative Robert hit China for flooding the found officials in Wash-
new U.S. tariffs with restric- world with cheap steel and ington "open to our argu-
tions on American goods, Lighthizer said Thursday aluminum but in practice ments" when he visited to
gave a cautious welcome would have hurt many al- try and avert the tariffs.q
that Trump had decided to
"pause" the tariffs for coun-
tries that are engaged in
trade negotiations with the
United States.
He said the EU would be ex-
empt, along with Canada,
Mexico, Australia, Argen-
tina and Brazil.
