Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday said, "We have to solve this issue" regarding the investigation into the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, adding that his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo, who visited Riyadh on Tuesday would bring information from the Kingdom to Turkey.
Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and leading critic of the Saudi crown prince, vanished after entering the consulate on Oct. 2. Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, which the Saudis strongly deny.
"It's the responsibility of the Chief Prosecutors' Office to decide whom to interrogate or the questions to be asked... The prosecutors may ask for the testimony of [any Saudi officials at the consulate] if needed," he said, at a news conference following a meeting with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Kudret Özersay.
Çavuşoğlu underlined the importance of a "transparent and result-oriented" approach, adding: "The situation needs to be clarified so that nobody has any question marks in their mind."
He also said the Saudi consul general was free to go to his country if he wants.
"If any Saudi diplomat wants to go to their country, they can go. There is no restriction."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday expressed concern about the disappearance of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a meeting in Riyadh with the country's foreign minister and thanked Saudi King Salman for his commitment to investigating it, the State Department said.Pompeo met with both King Salman and Foreign Minister Ahmed al-Jubeir. "The secretary reiterated U.S. concern over Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance" in his meeting with the foreign minister, State Department Heather Nauert said in a statement. Pompeo meets Saudi king over Khashoggi case, Turks to search consul's residenceUS Secretary of State to have dinner with Saudi crown princePompeo to visit Turkey after Riyadh over Khashoggi
Pompeo tells Saudis US is concerned about Khashoggi
Saudi residence, vehicles will be searched
Turkish officials will extend their investigation into the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi to include the residence of the Saudi consul and some vehicles, Çavuşoğlu said on Tuesday.
Turkish police entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul late on Monday for the first time since he vanished two weeks ago, searching the premises for nine hours.
He also said that Turkey had "not received a confession" from Saudi Arabia regarding the disappearance of Khashoggi.
A Turkish official said police found evidence inside the Saudi Consulate proving that missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed there, AP reported on Tuesday.Overnight, Turkish crime scene investigators entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the last place Khashoggi was seen before vanishing, for the first time and searched the premises for over nine hours.They will continue on Tuesday, expanding their search to include the residence of the Saudi consul as well as consulate vehicles.Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and leading critic of the Saudi crown prince, vanished after entering the consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, which the Saudis strongly deny.Dissident prince says Saudi planned vanishing act for him as Khashoggi case heats upCNN and the New York Times reported Saudi Arabia was preparing to acknowledge Khashoggi's death in a botched interrogation, after denying for two weeks any role in his disappearance.Khashoggi, a familiar face on Arab talk shows, moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of Prince Mohammed, who has cracked down on dissent with arrests.The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the Saudi plans, reported the crown prince had approved an interrogation or abduction of Khashoggi. The Saudi government, it said, would shield the prince by blaming an intelligence official for the bungled operation.Pompeo to bring info on Khashoggi from Riyadh to Ankara: Turkish FMErdoğan says some material at Saudi consulate painted overTurks, Saudis to search consul's residence in Istanbul
Evidence found in Saudi consulate proving Khashoggi was killed there