Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday stated that he still has positive expectations on the condition of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing for six days.
“I still have good expectations. We hope not to come across an undesirable situation about missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” he said.
“As president, I am following the situation. Whatever the result, we will inform the world of it,” he added.
Erdoğan told reporters that authorities were looking into all camera records and monitoring incoming and outgoing airport transits, but added that Turkey would await the results of the prosecutor's investigation.
Khashoggi, a former newspaper editor in Saudi Arabia and adviser to its former head of intelligence, left the country last year saying he feared retribution for his growing criticism of Saudi policy in the Yemen war and its crackdown on dissent.
On Tuesday he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get documents for his forthcoming marriage. Saudi officials say he left shortly afterwards but his fiancee, who was waiting outside, said he never came out.
"The initial assessment of the Turkish police is that Mr Khashoggi has been killed at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul. We believe that the murder was premeditated and the body was subsequently moved out of the consulate," one of two Turkish officials said on Saturday.
Turan Kışlakçı, head of the Turkish-Arab Media Association (TAM), on Sunday confirmed the reports of the murder of a Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.“Condolences to us all. Condolences to the entire world. Jamal Khashoggi was not only a known figure in the Arab world but across the globe. The news reached us two days ago. We confirmed it yesterday. Sources say that he was brutally murdered. It is certain that he was killed, but we have not be able to absolutely confirm that he was barbarically murdered. Soon, authorities will make a statement on this subject. We know that they have concrete evidence,” said Kaşıkçı in a press conference outside the Saudi consulate.“This savage act is unacceptable. We don’t just want people to react, but for states to show a reaction as well. He and his children were American citizens. We want the U.S. to put a diplomatic stance forth. Jamal Khashoggi was a globally-renowned journalist,” he concluded.Khashoggi, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Washington for the past year fearing retribution for his criticism of Saudi policies, entered the consulate on Tuesday to secure documents for his forthcoming marriage, according to his fiancée, who waited outside. He has not been heard of since.Turkish authorities have concrete information on the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing for six days, an adviser of Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Sunday.Yasin Aktay said he believed that Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul."My sense is that he has been killed ... The Saudis are saying we can come investigate, but they have of course disposed of the body," he said, adding that he believed Saudi statements about a lack of footage from security cameras were insincere.He stated that Khashoggi had not left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which he had entered on Tuesday to obtain documents for a forthcoming marriage, in "normal ways". The case would not go unsolved, Aktay said.Late on Saturday, Turkish sources said that Turkish authorities believed Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate last week, in what they described as the deliberate targeting of a prominent critic of the Gulf kingdom's rulers.Video: Turkey investigates disappearance of Saudi journalist
‘Jamal Khashoggi was murdered’
Turkish authorities have concrete information on the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing for six days, an adviser of Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Sunday.Yasin Aktay told broadcaster CNN Turk that Khashoggi had not left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which he had entered on Tuesday to obtain documents for a forthcoming marriage, in "normal ways". The case would not go unsolved, Aktay said.Late on Saturday, Turkish sources said that Turkish authorities believed Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate last week, in what they described as the deliberate targeting of a prominent critic of the Gulf kingdom's rulers.Video: Turkey investigates disappearance of Saudi journalist
Turkey says authorities have concrete information on missing Saudi journalist
Turkey requesting IMF help is ‘out of the question’
He also stated that Turkey was far from needing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan or related technical assistance.
“Turkey is resolutely standing against attacks targeting its economic independence. Turkey has closed the IMF chapter, not to be reopened again,” he said.
“Our economic indicators are in a very good situation. Turkey’s path crossing with the IMF is out of the question,” he added.
The lira has lost more than 40 percent of its value this year over a diplomatic row between Ankara and Washington, which Erdoğan deemed an economic war.
Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak will announce a strong programme to combat inflation, the state-run Anadolu news agency quoted him as saying on Sunday."There is no compromise in budget discipline, the rebalancing period in the economy has started. A strong programme to combat inflation will be announced," Albayrak told members of the ruling AK Party.He underlined the country’s success in lowering its credit risk (CDS) spread by 550 basis points through effective economic policy and strong coordination with stakeholders.Saying the Turkish economy had entered the process of “balancing”, Albayrak referred to the country’s falling current account deficit and rising net exports.On future policy, he stated that increasing exports, lowering the current account deficit, and facilitating production of technology would be prioritized.Earlier this week, data showed Turkey's inflation surged to a 15-year high of nearly 25 percent in September. Albayrak had later said he would announce a programme to battle rising inflation next week.
Turkish FinMin says to announce strong program against inflation