Canada likely to go ahead with multibillion dollar arms deal says Saudi Minister

Saudi Arabia said on Monday it believes Canada will go ahead with a multibillion-dollar arms deal with the kingdom despite remarks by the Canadian prime minister that Ottawa was looking for a way out of the agreement.

"Regarding the Canada arms deal, we see the Canadian government going ahead with the deal, so the statements are for domestic consumption," Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in December he was looking for a way out of the deal. Political opponents, citing the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Yemen war, insist Trudeau should scrap the pact negotiated by the previous Conservative government.

(With inputs from agencies.)