WASHINGTON / ANKARA – Turkey is dissatisfied with the level of cooperation it receives from Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and may demand the intervention of United Nations official investigation if contact with Riyadh finds a dead end.
After meeting United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke to the media in Washington yesterday and said Turkey shared the latest information on Khashoggi’s assassination with the US and repeated Ankara’s stand that truth should be disclosed to who gave the order to kill the journalist.
“To date, we accept Saudi Arabia’s offer to cooperate with us without hesitation.
“However, looking at the partnership now, since we did not find the answer to the questions I listed, this collaboration was not at the level we wanted.
“If there is a deadlock here and the investigation is only so far or there is no full cooperation, then we can make the necessary application for an international investigation,” Cavusoglu added, he discussed the issue with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Khashoggi, the US-based columnist of The Washington Post and a critic of Saudi Arabian government that is controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed on October 2 in Riyadh’s consulate in Istanbul.
After offering various conflicting explanations for Khashoggi’s disappearance, Riyadh said last week the journalist was killed and members of his body were cut down when ‘negotiations’ to reassure him back to Saudi Arabia failed. Public prosecutors said it would appeal for death penalties to all five suspects in the case.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the killing was directed by the Saudi government’s ‘highest ranking’ but did not accuse Mohammed directly. Saudi Arabia denied the prince ordered the killing of Khashoggi.
Cavusoglu also said he and Erdogan had heard the audio recording of Khashoggi’s murder.
“It’s very disgusting. If you hear it you understand it is a planned murder, “he said, adding that it was up to Turkish legislation to decide to disclose the recording.
SOURCE: REUTERS
