ANSD : Turkey says Trump comments on Khashoggi show he will turn blind eye to killing

THU 25 - 4 - 2024

Date: Nov 23, 2018
Source: The Daily Star

Turkey says Trump comments on Khashoggi show he will turn blind eye to killing

_Reuters
ANKARA: U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on the investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi show that he will turn a blind to the incident no matter what, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.

On Tuesday, Trump vowed to remain a "steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder Khashoggi last month.

Speaking to broadcaster CNN Turk, Cavusoglu also said the United States had not informed Turkey of an audio recording regarding Khashoggi's killing, a day after after a Turkish daily reported that the CIA was in possession of a recording in which the Crown Prince ordered to "silence Khashoggi".

He also said there was no reason President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the crown prince could not meet during a visit to Argentina for the G-20 summit, adding the final decision was Erdogan's.

France imposes sanctions on 18 Saudi citizens over Khashoggi killing

_Reuters
PARIS: France said Thursday it had imposed sanctions, including travel bans, on 18 Saudi citizens linked to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said more could follow depending on results of an investigation.

The foreign ministry did not name the individuals but said in a statement that the move was in coordination with European partners, notably Germany. Berlin on Monday also banned 18 Saudis and moved to halt all arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

The bans bind all members of the European Union's passport-free Schengen zone, it said.

"The murder of Mr Khashoggi is a crime of extreme gravity, which moreover goes against freedom of the press and the most fundamental rights," the ministry statement said.

France expected a transparent, detailed and exhaustive response from Saudi authorities, it said.

"These are interim measures that may be reviewed or extended depending on the progress of ongoing investigations," it said.

French reaction has been relatively guarded given it is keen to retain its influence with Riyadh and protect commercial relations spanning energy, finance and weapons sales.

Saudi's deputy public prosecutor said on Nov. 15 that Riyadh was seeking the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects charged with Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

"It [France] recalls its opposition, in all places and in all circumstances, to the death penalty," the ministry said.

Turkish news website says CIA has recording of Saudi prince saying 'silence Khashoggi'

_Reuters
ISTANBUL: A Turkish newspaper reported Thursday CIA director Gina Haspel signaled to Turkish officials last month that the agency had a recording of a call in which Saudi Arabia's crown prince gave instructions to "silence" Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Asked about the report, a Turkish official told Reuters he had no information about such a recording. Saudi Arabia has said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman had no prior knowledge of Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul six weeks ago.

The CIA declined to comment when asked about the report.

"There is talk of another recording," Hurriyet newspaper journalist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote in a column, saying the purported call took place between Crown Prince Mohammad and his brother, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington.

"It is being said that CIA chief Gina Haspel indicated this during her visit to Turkey," he wrote, adding that they had discussed Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom's de facto ruler.

"It is being said the crown prince gave orders to 'silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible'," in a call which was monitored by the U.S. agency, he said.

Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 in an operation that Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said was ordered by the highest level of Saudi leadership.

After offering numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh said last week Khashoggi had been killed and his body dismembered when negotiations to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed.

Saudi warns crown prince a 'red line' in Khashoggi probe

_{Agence France Presse}
LONDON: Saudi Arabia has warned that criticism of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is a "red line" after United States President Donald Trump heaped praise on the kingdom in defiance of warnings that he was giving Riyadh a pass on a journalist's grisly murder.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Wednesday that calls for the crown prince to be held accountable for the grisly killing of Jamal Khashoggi would not be tolerated.

His comments came as the U.S. president praised Saudi Arabia for keeping oil prices low – one strand of his argument against punishing Riyadh, even though the CIA reportedly found strong evidence that the crown prince, the de facto Saudi leader, was involved in the murder.

"In Saudi Arabia our leadership is a red line. The custodian of the two holy mosques [King Salman] and the crown prince are a red line," Jubeir told the BBC.

"They represent every Saudi citizen and every Saudi citizen represents them. And we will not tolerate any discussion of anything that is disparaging towards our monarch or our crown prince."

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who wrote for The Washington Post and had been critical of Prince Mohammad, was lured to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, killed and reportedly dismembered.

After lengthy denials, Saudi authorities admitted responsibility and said 21 people had been taken into custody. However, a CIA analysis leaked to U.S. media went further, reportedly pointing the finger at the crown prince.

But Trump, on holiday Wednesday at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida, doubled down on a statement from Tuesday that he was essentially ignoring the killing of Khashoggi because of what he said were more important U.S. strategic and commercial interests.

"Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy! $54, was just $82," he tweeted. "Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but let's go lower!"

Jubeir insisted that Prince Mohammad had not been involved in the killing.

"We have made that very clear. We have investigations ongoing and we will punish the individuals who are responsible for this," he said.

He called on Turkey to come forward with all its evidence about the slaying and to stop leaking information.

The foreign minister said the murder was a "rogue operation" by intelligence officers.

Jubeir also said any possible U.S. sanctions on Saudi Arabia would be short-sighted.

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