Turkey’s Erdogan says, “Not aiming to harm Saudi Royals in Khashoggi affair”
Saturday, President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey’s insistence on finding the truth behind the recent assassination of dissident Jamal Khashoggi was not aimed at damaging the Saudi Royal Family.
Speaking to reporters at the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Erdogan said that solving the Khashoggi assassination may also be in the interest of the Saudi Monarchy.
Backing away from his strident attacks on the Saudi Crown Prince he declared.
“We have never seen this as a political issue. We want to make sure that the murder is revealed in all aspects and that the perpetrators are tried.”
Mr. Khashoggi’s killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul strained Saudi Arabia’s ties with the West and seemingly tarnished the image overseas of its de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 33 anni.
President Erdogan has said the killing was ordered by the highest level of Saudi leadership but probably not by King Salman, putting the spotlight instead on the Crown Prince.
“We have no interest in harming the Saudi Arabian state or the Saudi royal family. We believe bringing to light all aspects of the murder and prosecution of all perpetrators will be in the interest of Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he brought up the Khashoggi issue while at the Summit.
At a news conference in Buenos Aires, PM Trudeau said he had a “frank conversation” with the Saudi Crown Prince at the leaders’ dinner on Friday.
“I spoke to the Crown Prince to highlight our concerns and the need for better answers on the killing of Khashoggi and the need for cease fire in Yemen,” PM Trudeau said.
President Erdogan also said Prince Mohammed had sent his chief prosecutor to Turkey to investigate the Khashoggi matter, but the prosecutor failed to share information with Turkey.
We expect that President Erdogan was given the word to ‘lighten up’ on the Crown Prince.
Have a terrific weekend
Paul Ebeling
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