Germany: FM Maas and Bahraini counterpart call for close investigation into spying allegations

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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas welcomed his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani to Berlin, on Wednesday, where they made joint statements regarding the deportations to Afghanistan, allegations of espionage and Iran.

“Spying on a close ally on German soil is absolutely unacceptable and we are in full solidarity with our British friends,” said Maas, after a British citizen was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia whilst working at the British embassy in Berlin.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, alleged spy was identified only as David S. and is believed to have spied for the Russian secret service since at least November.

“We will be following the federal prosecutor’s further investigations very closely. And where that’s desired, necessary and possible, we will also support them,” Maas added.

Regarding the topic of deportations of Afghan migrants amid political instability in the country, the Maas said that Germany is currently engaged in a “close, intensive dialogue with the Afghan government in recent days about the developments that are taking place there on the ground.”

“We also have a close, intensive dialogue with the Afghan government in recent days about the developments that are taking place there on the ground,” the German foreign minister added.

Al-Zayani called for the “international community and for all countries in the region to ensure that the free navigation (of ships) is protected and take all necessary measures to achieve that objectives,” in relation to recent activities involving Iran.

The US and British governments have accused Iran of being behind a drone strike on an Israeli-managed tanker off the coast of Oman that killed two crew members. Iran denies the allegations.

SOUNDBITES:

SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): “We take the information that the detained person’s intelligence activity was carried out on behalf of a Russian intelligence agency extremely seriously. Spying on a close ally on German soil is absolutely unacceptable and we are in full solidarity with our British friends. We will be following the federal prosecutor’s further investigations very closely. And where that’s desired, necessary and possible, we will also support them.”

SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): “I welcome the (German) interior minister’s (Horst Seehofer) decision today. We have also been in close contact on these issues within the federal government in recent days. In the same way, we also have a close, intensive dialogue with the Afghan government in recent days about the developments that are taking place there on the ground.”

SOT, Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister (German): “The Afghan government had asked us to suspend deportation flights until the end of October some time ago. We’re doing so now. I think that’s right, too.”

SOT, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Bahrain foreign minister (Arabic): “This is a responsibility for the international community and we call for the international community and for all countries in the region to ensure that the free navigation (of ships) is protected and take all necessary measures to achieve that objectives.”

#HeikoMaas #Germany

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