"Thus, the fact that Saudi Arabia has been neglecting human rights for decades and that its political system is based on a radical-conservative understanding of Islam, is being ignored by the federal government," the newspaper wrote.
In particular, Die Welt referred to a recent visit by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir to Germany. According to the newspaper, he and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier know each other very well and have seen each other frequently.
According to Die Welt, the Saudis can have an influence on the Syrian rebels and thus help advance the negotiations on the settlement of the Syrian conflict.
The newspaper also noted that with respect to Saudi Arabia, Angela Merkel adheres to the same logic as in the case of Turkey: better to have a stable ally, although an authoritarian one, than to not have any.
"Relations with Riyadh raise as many moral and ethical questions as those with Ankara," the newspaper wrote, adding that while Turkey has repeatedly been a subject to harsh criticism in Germany, the authoritarian kingdom of Saudi Arabia has almost always stayed out of the focus of the media and the public.
