RIYADH: Top US diplomat Mike Pompeo stated on Tuesday that Saudi leaders supported a "thorough" probe into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on an outwardly friendly seek advice from to the kingdom whose reputation has taken a beating.
President Donald Trump dispatched his secretary of state on the urgent challenge to Riyadh to defuse a disaster over Khashoggi, an insider grew to become critic of the conservative monarchy who used to be final noticed on October 2 when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to sort out marriage paperwork.
Turkish officers say that Khashoggi, who lived in exile in suburban Washington, used to be killed within the consulate. The Turkish foreign ministry announced that Pompeo, who stated little in Riyadh about any growth he may be making, would head directly to Ankara on Wednesday for talks.
Pompeo met with the top leadership of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh, including crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who now not long ago basked in global reward for his home reforms however whose reputation has soured over his mounting crackdown on dissent.
Meeting king Salman, Pompeo "thanked the king for his commitment to supporting a thorough, transparent and timely investigation of Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance," state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert stated.
Saudi Arabia has denied killing Khashoggi. Trump has mused aloud that "rogue killers" could have been responsible.
While the message in the back of closed doors may have taken a different tone, Pompeo used to be filled with smiles and exchanged pleasantries with leaders of the longstanding ally, with out a ostensible sense of disaster.
"We are strong and old allies. We face our challenges together," the crown prince advised Pompeo in the palace decked out with implementing chandeliers and gold-plated furniture, to which Pompeo stated, "Absolutely," after thanking the Saudis for allowing him to seek advice from.
Pompeo used to be set to fulfill at larger duration with the 33-year-old crown prince over a dinner accompanied through best aides.
Saudi Arabia has been closely related to the United States for greater than a part century as a vital oil provider, with members of the family warming under Trump as the United States management aggressively confronts the kingdom's regional rival Iran.
But the Saudis have confronted intense complaint over the Khashoggi incident, which comes simply after US senators nearly succeeded in chopping off reinforce for Riyadh's air marketing campaign towards rebels in Yemen, which a UN file says has killed 1000's of civilians.
There have additionally been sharp phrases targeting Mohammed bin Salman, identified through his initials MBS, from US senators on each the Republican and Democrat sides, amid requires Congress to halt US arms sales to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia warned earlier than Pompeo's seek advice from that the leading oil exporter can retaliate, with an reputable quoted in state media caution that the kingdom "plays an effective and vital role in the world economy" and will "respond to any action with a bigger one".
Turkish authorities have stepped up their investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance, with police looking the Saudi consulate for eight hours into Tuesday morning, taking a pattern of the garden soil.
On Tuesday, Turkish media reported that Saudi Arabia's consul to Istanbul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, had returned to Riyadh as Turkish authorities prepare to search his place of abode.
The UN human rights chief referred to as Tuesday for the lifting of the immunity of officers who could be taken with Khashoggi's disappearance.
Due to the seriousness of the case "I believe the inviolability or immunity of the relevant premises and officials... should be waived immediately," Michelle Bachelet stated in a commentary.
CNN reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia used to be making an allowance for admitting that Khashoggi had died after an interrogation that went fallacious all over an intended abduction.
The Wall Street Journal, additionally quoting unnamed assets, stated the kingdom used to be weighing whether to say that rogue operatives killed Khashoggi through mistake.
The controversy has now not best Saudi's traditional Western allies, which might be key arms suppliers to the kingdom, however undermined efforts through Mohammed bin Salman to offer himself as a modernising ruler.
An funding convention noticed as a platform for the crown prince and dubbed the "Davos in the Desert", scheduled to happen in Riyadh subsequent week, has been hit through a string of outstanding cancellations.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Ford chairman Bill Ford and Larry Fink, the pinnacle of funding giant BlackRock, have been some of the newest business barons to cancel plans to attend.
US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin stated he still plans to attend however would take "into account" any new information.
The controversy additionally threw into doubt a $400 million deal the Saudi public funding fund negotiated with Hollywood's maximum robust talent company as part of the crown prince's power for a foothold in the leisure business.
Britain, France and Germany additionally launched an extraordinary joint commentary pronouncing they have been treating Khashoggi's disappearance "with the utmost seriousness" and calling for a "credible investigation".
President Donald Trump dispatched his secretary of state on the urgent challenge to Riyadh to defuse a disaster over Khashoggi, an insider grew to become critic of the conservative monarchy who used to be final noticed on October 2 when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to sort out marriage paperwork.
Turkish officers say that Khashoggi, who lived in exile in suburban Washington, used to be killed within the consulate. The Turkish foreign ministry announced that Pompeo, who stated little in Riyadh about any growth he may be making, would head directly to Ankara on Wednesday for talks.
Pompeo met with the top leadership of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh, including crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who now not long ago basked in global reward for his home reforms however whose reputation has soured over his mounting crackdown on dissent.
Meeting king Salman, Pompeo "thanked the king for his commitment to supporting a thorough, transparent and timely investigation of Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance," state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert stated.
Saudi Arabia has denied killing Khashoggi. Trump has mused aloud that "rogue killers" could have been responsible.
While the message in the back of closed doors may have taken a different tone, Pompeo used to be filled with smiles and exchanged pleasantries with leaders of the longstanding ally, with out a ostensible sense of disaster.
"We are strong and old allies. We face our challenges together," the crown prince advised Pompeo in the palace decked out with implementing chandeliers and gold-plated furniture, to which Pompeo stated, "Absolutely," after thanking the Saudis for allowing him to seek advice from.
Pompeo used to be set to fulfill at larger duration with the 33-year-old crown prince over a dinner accompanied through best aides.
Saudi Arabia has been closely related to the United States for greater than a part century as a vital oil provider, with members of the family warming under Trump as the United States management aggressively confronts the kingdom's regional rival Iran.
But the Saudis have confronted intense complaint over the Khashoggi incident, which comes simply after US senators nearly succeeded in chopping off reinforce for Riyadh's air marketing campaign towards rebels in Yemen, which a UN file says has killed 1000's of civilians.
There have additionally been sharp phrases targeting Mohammed bin Salman, identified through his initials MBS, from US senators on each the Republican and Democrat sides, amid requires Congress to halt US arms sales to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia warned earlier than Pompeo's seek advice from that the leading oil exporter can retaliate, with an reputable quoted in state media caution that the kingdom "plays an effective and vital role in the world economy" and will "respond to any action with a bigger one".
Turkish authorities have stepped up their investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance, with police looking the Saudi consulate for eight hours into Tuesday morning, taking a pattern of the garden soil.
On Tuesday, Turkish media reported that Saudi Arabia's consul to Istanbul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, had returned to Riyadh as Turkish authorities prepare to search his place of abode.
The UN human rights chief referred to as Tuesday for the lifting of the immunity of officers who could be taken with Khashoggi's disappearance.
Due to the seriousness of the case "I believe the inviolability or immunity of the relevant premises and officials... should be waived immediately," Michelle Bachelet stated in a commentary.
CNN reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia used to be making an allowance for admitting that Khashoggi had died after an interrogation that went fallacious all over an intended abduction.
The Wall Street Journal, additionally quoting unnamed assets, stated the kingdom used to be weighing whether to say that rogue operatives killed Khashoggi through mistake.
The controversy has now not best Saudi's traditional Western allies, which might be key arms suppliers to the kingdom, however undermined efforts through Mohammed bin Salman to offer himself as a modernising ruler.
An funding convention noticed as a platform for the crown prince and dubbed the "Davos in the Desert", scheduled to happen in Riyadh subsequent week, has been hit through a string of outstanding cancellations.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Ford chairman Bill Ford and Larry Fink, the pinnacle of funding giant BlackRock, have been some of the newest business barons to cancel plans to attend.
US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin stated he still plans to attend however would take "into account" any new information.
The controversy additionally threw into doubt a $400 million deal the Saudi public funding fund negotiated with Hollywood's maximum robust talent company as part of the crown prince's power for a foothold in the leisure business.
Britain, France and Germany additionally launched an extraordinary joint commentary pronouncing they have been treating Khashoggi's disappearance "with the utmost seriousness" and calling for a "credible investigation".
Top US diplomat says Saudi back probe into missing writer
![Top US diplomat says Saudi back probe into missing writer]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
October 17, 2018
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