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Holger Hestermeyer
@hhesterm
, 5 tweets, 2 min read Read on Twitter
In very unfortunate timing, the speech was held on the day German news was busy reporting that the Foreign Secretary had written a letter criticising Germany embargoing weapon exports to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Khashogghi murder. (Thread)
Germany decided in 2018 that as a consequence of the murder for the time being weapon exports to Saudi-Arabia would be embargoed. The US and the UK, both much larger weapons exporters to Saudi-Arabia, did not follow the decision.
However as it turns out, the German decision has ripple effects because German goods are integrated also into UK exports. washingtonpost.com/world/2019/02/…
According to the reports Hunt “strongly criticised” the German government and “threatened consequences”. spiegel.de/politik/deutsc…
So let’s just say: not sure which of the messages “help us with Brexit” or “comply with our demands to deliver weapons exports to Saudi-Arabia or face the consequences” is getting across or whether they both try to squeeze through the same window of attention and get stuck.
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Holger Hestermeyer
@hhesterm
Myths have solidified to such an extent that this is supposed to be a serious comment. Remarkable.
Let’s just point out that most obvious: the tweet seems to assume that 21 months of voluntary alignment with the EU provides a workable transition to new trade deals. Say what?
Yes. That sentence has a typo. But if a newspaper editor can stray so far from reality in his comments I do not feel bound by rules of spelling or grammar.
Read 3 tweets
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Holger Hestermeyer
@hhesterm
I think this is imporatant because it continues the old tragedy of denying the need for trade-offs. So here’s some of them (thread)
You can have an FTA, but an FTA does not do away with trade barriers, neither does a CU as we have learned. A Single Market + CU goes much further in that respect. It’s perfectly fine to say we don’t want that, of course. But then we also don’t get that.
You want to be able to live and move across borders freely? That can be simplified on a sliding scale of course. From less money for a visa to visa-waiver to visa-free travel for three months etc. Few provide what the EU does. We don’t want it, we don’t get it.
Read 6 tweets
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Holger Hestermeyer
@hhesterm
Also note: a limited extension going up to or even beyond the EP election but stopping before EP has first session would make another extension really difficult (short thread)
Legally Art. 50 seems to allow multiple extensions. However, during the extension the U.K. is a full member state. So it has to participate in EP elections.
If the UK would ask for a 2 year extension now there’d be elections in May. However, if a first extension ends post May - it’ll be too late for elections.
Read 3 tweets

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Ahmed
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I would like to present, for your viewing pleasure, a case study in hypocrisy - an argument for those who think that there is no rational reason for people in other parts of the world to despise the west with a burning passion.
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UK House of Lords finds that the UK's #Saudi weapons sales are unlawful, as they are highly likely to be the cause of significant civilian casualties in #Yemen
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#Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman,suspected to have ordered murder of journalist #JamalKashoggi, launched unprecedented crackdown vs women’s rights activists in May. Those activists have been tortured & one has tried suicide 3 times google.com/amp/s/www.wash… h/t @SherifaZuhur
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#Khashoggi Case Thread: I am going to ‘pin’ this post to use it as an ‘Info Thread’ on the #Khashoggi Case. I am in #Turkey. I’ve been following the case closely and with access to sources & experts here. This is a very ‘sensitive’ criminal case due to ‘Diplomatic Booby Traps’!!!
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Kyle Orton
@KyleWOrton
#Saudi Arabia says #Canada's statement on the arrest of activists in the Kingdom is an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs, expels the Canadian ambassador and freezes all future trade. bbc.in/2vs6crl
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