Qatar may purchase 200 German tanks

Qatar is considering buying up to 200 German tanks at a cost of around two billion euros ($2.46 billion), according to a report published on Sunday. News weekly Der Spiegel reported that the Qataris were interested in acquiring the Leopard-2 tanks and that a delegation from defense firm Krauss-Maffei Wegmann had already travelled to Qatar to discuss the possible deal. Last month, Saudi Arabia expressed interest in buying between 600 and 800 Leopard-2 tanks, Germany’s main battle tank, for up to 10 billion euros, according to media reports. The reported sale caused difficulties for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who came under fire from opposition politicians and even members of her own ruling center-right coalition in light of democratic uprisings in the Middle East. Spiegel said both Merkel’s office and the economic ministry were in favor of the deal with Doha.