Dirk Hoke
Airbus said its defence chief Dirk Hoke will no longer attend the Future Investment Initiative conference in Saudi Arabia, the latest senior industry executive to skip next week's event amid concern about the fate of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The European aerospace group said it was monitoring the situation and international discussions carefully.
"A guideline has been issued to abstain from high profile engagements at this point in time. However, we believe it is important to maintain engagement and dialogue in a country which hosts about 1,000 of our employees," a spokesman said.
The international community should introduce diplomatic sanctions against Saudi Arabia over the alleged murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, said a prominent UK-based academic and political commentator on Friday.Dr. Daud Abdullah, who is also the director of the Middle East Monitor in London, said: "There is an issue of criminal accountability for those who ordered it [the alleged murder of Khashoggi] and for those who executed it."The Washington Post journalist has disappeared on Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. He has since been feared dead.Speaking to Sky News channel, Abdullah drew parallels between the alleged murder in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and the nerve-agent attack in Salisbury, U.K.Turkey has not shared audio recordings with anyone, FM says"There is also a need for diplomatic sanctions the type of which we saw being imposed upon Russia in the Salisbury affair," Abdullah said."It cannot be accepted that we did this in terms of Russia after the poisoning in Salisbury, the violation of British sovereign rights," he said.The Salisbury nerve-agent attack targeted former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal earlier this year.Abdullah said he last saw Khashoggi in a conference in September in London, adding the journalist's self-imposed exile proved his fear of the Saudi authorities as he was an open critic of the Saudi government.U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said, "Unless the miracle of all miracles happens, I would acknowledge that he’s dead."UK says any response over Khashoggi case would be 'considered'Family of Saudi journalist considers him 'missing'Saudi may blame adviser for Khashoggi killing: report
UK academic calls for Saudi sanctions in Khashoggi case
Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist critical of Riyadh's policies, disappeared on Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Turkey believes he was murdered and his body removed. Saudi Arabia has denied that.
The investment summit, dubbed Davos in the Desert, in Riyadh typically attracts executives from some of the world's largest companies and media organizations.
Many of those slated to attend, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, have cancelled their participation, but the Saudis have said they plan to move forward with the conference, scheduled for Oct. 23-25.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum said Thursday they will no longer use Saudi money to run programs that were initially supported by entities tied to the Saudi government, according to The New York Times.The two programs were a three-month-long exhibit on Syrian refugees at the Brooklyn Museum along with a seminar on Middle East art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, both part of a yearlong Arab Art Education Initiative.Recordings reveal Khashoggi tortured then dismembered while still alive“While this conversation and a subsequent public colloquium were to be supported by external funds, in light of recent developments, we have decided that the Museum will itself fund this event,” Daniel H. Weiss, the Met’s president and chief executive officer, said in a note to participants that was obtained by the Times.The programs were being organized by Stephen Stapleton, a London-based artist who runs an arts initiative called Edge of Arabia, which is supported by the Saudi government and funded through their state-run oil company Aramco.One of 15 Saudis that targeted Khashoggi dies in suspicious car accident“We are fully understanding and supportive of our partner organizations in the Arab Art Education Initiative when it comes to decisions around funding," Stapleton said in a statement.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Evidence is mounting that the journalist was killed and dismembered by Saudi nationals who flew into Istanbul the same day.On Wednesday, crime scene investigation units arrived at the official residence of Saudi Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi around 4.40 p.m. local time (1340GMT). Al-Otaibi had left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday.Officials from a joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case early Thursday after searching the residence as well as the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.
New York museums to stop using Saudi money for programs
Saudi Arabia is considering putting the blame for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on an intelligence officer who is close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the New York Times reported Thursday.Sources told the Times rulers in the kingdom are planning to pin fault on Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri, an adviser to the crown prince, in a move that could deflect fingers pointed at the 33-year-old aspirant."The Saudi rulers are expected to say that General Assiri received verbal authorization from Prince Mohammed to capture Mr. Khashoggi for an interrogation in Saudi Arabia, but either misunderstood his instructions or overstepped that authorization and took the dissident’s life," two people familiar with the plan told the Times on condition of anonymity.Trump says he believes Khashoggi is deadBin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, has been seen by many in the West as a reformer that has brought massive social change and progressive reform to the kingdom.However, his image has been tainted in recent weeks because of the global outcry over the missing journalist.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Evidence is mounting that the journalist was killed and dismembered by Saudi nationals who flew into Istanbul that same day.Officials from a joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case early Thursday after searching the residence as well as the Saudi Consulate building in Istanbul.France suspends political visits to Saudi ArabiaMeanwhile, a wave of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers have taken a stand against Saudi Arabia, demanding answers on Khashoggi's disappearance.Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia unless Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifies the kingdom did not order the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The bill currently has 8 cosponsors from both political parties.After returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, however, Pompeo said he advised U.S. President Donald Trump to give Saudi officials "a few more days" to continue the investigation.Aide to Prince Salman seen walking into Saudi consulateTrump, along with senior officials in the administration, have defended bin Salman, with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and Middle East advisor, telling the president to stand behind the crown prince, the newspaper reported.The Times said that Saudi had already briefed the U.S. on their plan, and people "close to the White House have already been briefed and given General Assiri’s name."Assiri was previously the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and had been promoted to a high ranking adviser last year.US lawmakers seek sanctions on Riyadh over KhashoggiSaudi response to Khashoggi case raises questionsPompeo heard recording of Khashoggi ‘murder': Report
Saudi may blame adviser for Khashoggi killing: report