ANKARA – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday held talks with theTurkish leadership in Ankara over the disappearance of Saudi journalistJamal Khashoggi as Riyadh faced new claims he was killed inside itsIstanbul consulate.
Pro-government Turkish media published gruesome new allegations Khashoggiwas killed by being gradually dismembered by a Saudi assassination squadsome of whom the *New York Times* said were tied to Crown Prince Mohammedbin Salman.
But the United States has refused to rebuke its ally despite the mountingclaims, with President Donald Trump insisting on the principle of innocencebefore being proven guilty and Pompeo saying after talks in Riyadh: “Idon’t want to talk about any of the facts.”
Despite the lurid allegations published in media loyal to him, TurkishPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also taken a circumspect line in thecase, saying his priority is to uncover the truth through an investigation.
The controversy has blown a massive hole in attempts by Prince Mohammed topromote himself as a modern reformer and led to a spate of cancellationsfrom a major Riyadh investment conference scheduled next week.linklink
Khashoggi has not been seen since he stepped inside the Saudi consulate inIstanbul on October 2 to sort out paperwork for his upcoming marriage to aTurkish woman.
Turkish police on Monday night undertook an eight-hour search at theconsulate, taking away soil and DNA samples, although a search expected onTuesday at the consul’s residence has so far not taken place.
The Saudi consul Mohammed al-Otaibi left Istanbul for Riyadh on a scheduledSaudia flight on Tuesday afternoon, with Ankara insisting he had not beenexpelled and left by his own choice.’Complete investigation’
Pompeo came to Ankara fresh from talks in Riyadh where he held a 20-minutemeeting with King Salman and a far longer meeting with Prince Mohammed,where the pair shook hands and smiled.
He said before arriving in Ankara that in Saudi Arabia he stressed the”importance of them conducting a complete investigation into thedisappearance” and Riyadh had vowed to do this.
“They made a commitment that they would show the entire world the resultsof their investigation. They also indicated they would get this donequickly,” said Pompeo, adding Saudi also vowed that no-one would haveimmunity.
But he refused to be drawn on whether Khashoggi was alive or dead and whocould be responsible. “I don’t want to talk about any of the facts. Theydidn’t want to either.”
linklink
Pompeo went straight into talks with Erdogan whose government so far alsohas refused to directly point the finger at Saudi Arabia.
Read Top Stories
Interviewed by state-run Anadolu news agency, Turkish Interior MinisterSuleyman Soylu refused to be drawn into commenting on what may havehappened inside the consulate.
“I have my own opinions… I have strong opinions but that (theinvestigation) is the job of the judiciary,” he said.
He added that the search of the residence would take place only when thereis a joint agreement with Riyadh.
Trump meanwhile refused to accuse Saudi Arabia over the case, drawing aparallel with the case of new US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh whohad faced a swirl of allegations of sexual assault.
“Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent,” hesaid. “I don’t like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaughand he was innocent all the way as far as I’m concerned,” he told theAssociated Press.’Getting me into trouble’
Several US media reported on Monday that the Saudis are preparing a reportthat Khashoggi’s death resulted from a botched interrogation. However,there has yet to be any sign of this being published.
Pro-government Turkish daily Yeni Safak reported it had heard audiorecordings of Khashoggi being tortured during an interrogation, having hisfingers cut off and then being decapitated.linklink
It said al-Otaibi can be heard on one tape saying during Khashoggi’storture: “Do this outside. You are going to get me in trouble.”
The daily reported that in another tape, an unknown individual tellsOtaibi: “If you want to live when you return to Saudi Arabia, be quiet!”
The *New York Times* reported Tuesday that a suspect identified by Turkeywas a frequent companion of the prince’s. Three other suspects are linkedto his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic doctor, theTimes said.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde was the latest to pullout of Prince Mohammed’s much-trumpeted investment conference next week. AnIMF spokesman said she had postponed her planned trip to the Middle Eastwith a stop in Saudi Arabia. APP/AFP
