A US State Department official said, Wednesday, January 27, 2021, that President Joe Biden's administration has imposed a temporary suspension of some arms deals to US allies. So to review it.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the suspension would affect arms sales to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The American newspaper also quoted US officials as saying that the decision will include suspending the sale of precision-guided munitions to Riyadh, in addition to F-35 fighters to Abu Dhabi.
Manufacture of American weapons for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
American arms companies, such as Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin, are also manufacturing weapons for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
But officials, according to the Wall Street Journal, are likely to pass the deals in the end despite Biden’s decision to suspend them for the time being, while Washington, according to the American newspaper, seeks to ensure that American weapons are not used to reinforce the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.
Biden's decision comes at a time when the UAE announced that letters of agreement had been completed regarding a deal with the United States of about $ 23 billion, including the purchase of 50 F-35 fighters, in addition to weapons and other military equipment.
The UAE embassy in Washington said, in a statement, on Friday, that the letters of agreement were finalized on Tuesday, which is the last day of former President Donald Trump in power before his successor, Joe Biden, took them over on Wednesday.
$ 23 billion is the value of the aircraft deal to the Emirates
A statement by the Emirati embassy in Washington said that the total value of the deal is estimated at $ 23 billion, and includes up to 50 F-35A fighters worth $ 10.4 billion, 18 MQ-9B drones worth $ 2.97 billion, and various munitions worth $ 2.97 billion. $ 10 billion.
According to the statement, the letters include confirmation of the terms of purchase, including costs, technical specifications and expected delivery schedules.
Abu Dhabi military and human rights activities
President Joe Biden, who took office on Wednesday, said in a press statement earlier that he intended to review the agreement, against the backdrop of reports related to Abu Dhabi's military and human rights activities.
However, official American media previously indicated that once letters of agreement are signed in this regard, a fine is imposed on any party that withdraws from the deal.
At the same time, the UAE - which is an important ally of Washington in the Middle East - has been seeking to purchase F-35 fighters for a long time.
According to observers, the normalization agreement with Israel signed months ago opened the way for the UAE to obtain these fighters.
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