Jamal Khashoggi: UK pulls out of Saudi Arabia trade conference over missing journalist
Thursday October 18, 2018
"We encourage Turkish-Saudi collaboration and look forward to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conducting a thorough, credible, transparent, and prompt investigation, as announced. Those bearing responsibility for his disappearance must be held to account.”
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday on French TV channel Public Senat that "I will not go to Riyadh next week" for the conference known as "Davos in the Desert."
He argued that the disappearance of Khashoggi is "serious" and facts about it need to be explained by Saudi authorities. Dutch finance minister Wopke Hoekstra also cancelled, while foreign minister Stef Blok wrote that a Dutch trade mission planned for December to Saudi also likely will not go ahead.
Several top business executives have also cancelled their plans to attend, as has the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde.
Turkish crime scene investigators left the Saudi consulate early on Thursday after searching the building and consular vehicles, using bright lights to illuminate the garden.
Earlier, the investigators spent nearly nine hours in the Saudi consul's residence, as did Saudi investigators. The Turkish team's search included the roof and garage and the use of a drone.
Turkish sources have said the authorities have an audio recording indicating Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate, with the Yeni Safak newspaper publishing details of it on Wednesday purporting to document Khashoggi's torture and interrogation.
The newspaper said Khashoggi's torturers severed his fingers during the interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him.
Jamal Khashoggi: UK pulls out of Saudi Arabia trade conference over missing journalist
British officials said Liam Fox had decided it was not "the right time" and urged Saudi leaders to conduct a "credible" investigation into Mr Khashoggi's apparent death. France's finance minister has also cancelled hi