WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Saudi Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman on Sunday the US will hold accountable all thoseinvolved in the killing of a dissident Saudi journalist, in a telephonecall that also took in the conflict in Yemen.

The killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia´s consulate in Istanbul andthe war in Yemen are two of the main sources of strain in the decades-oldalliance between Washington and Riyadh.

“The Secretary emphasized that the United States will hold all of thoseinvolved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable, and that SaudiArabia must do the same,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert saidin a statement.

The top US diplomat has previously said Khashoggi´s killing “violates thenorms of international law,” and that the US was reviewing possiblesanctions on individuals identified as having been involved.

But Pompeo and US President Donald Trump have also both emphasizedAmerica´s important commercial, strategic and national securityrelationships with the petro-state.

Upping the pressure on Saudi Arabia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saidSaturday that Turkey had shared recordings related to Khashoggi´s murderwith Riyadh, Washington and other capitals, without giving details of theirspecific contents.

After repeated denials, Saudi Arabia finally admitted the 59-year-oldjournalist had been murdered at its diplomatic mission in what it termed a”rogue” operation.

Reduced US role in Yemen

Ankara has been demanding, to date without success, the extradition ofthose involved in the killing.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post, was critical of PrinceMohammed and the country´s intervention in Yemen, a conflict which alsocame up during the call, said Nauert.

Pompeo “reiterated the United States´ calls for a cessation of hostilitiesand for all parties to come to the table to negotiate a peaceful solutionto the conflict,” she said.

Pompeo has previously called for an end to the fighting in the impoverishedArab state, saying that Shiite Huthi rebels must stop missile and dronestrikes from areas they control, and that the Saudi-led coalition mustsubsequently halt strikes in populated areas.

Pompeo´s latest remarks come just days after the announcement of the end ofa controversial refueling arrangement between the US and the Saudi-ledcoalition carrying out strikes in Yemen — a step that lessens Americaninvolvement in the war.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said he supported Saudi Arabia´s decision afterthe official Saudi Press Agency said the coalition asked for the “cessationof inflight refueling support” from the United States. – APP/AFP