Federica Mogherini
The European Union’s reaction to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi will depend on the next steps that will be taken by the Saudi authorities, the EU foreign policy chief said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the EU Parliament, Federica Mogherini said the EU has "asked Saudi Arabia to shed light on the events of Oct. 2 through a full, credible, transparent and prompt investigation".
"We have also asked Saudi Arabia for full collaboration with the Turkish authorities.
"We hope that everyone will work towards the goal of establishing the facts. This is the starting point," Mogherini said, adding that the investigation must be driven by the search for truth and not by geopolitics.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ripped Saudi Arabia's effort to conceal the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi."They had a very bad original concept. It was carried out poorly, and the coverup was one of the worst in the history of coverups," Trump told reporters at the White House."Whoever thought of that idea I think is in big trouble, and they should be in big trouble."Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. He was never seen exiting the diplomatic facility.After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for more than two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he was killed during a brawl inside the diplomatic facility.But Khashoggi's body has not been recovered, and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting narrative on what transpired.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's murder was "premeditated".Video: Trump says Saudis staged 'worst cover-up ever' on KhashoggiErdoğan said all information and evidence that has been uncovered showed Khashoggi was the victim of a brutal murder.Saudi teams explored Istanbul's Belgrad Forest and the northwestern province of Yalova before murdering Khashoggi, Erdoğan said.Trump said Erdoğan was "pretty rough on Saudi Arabia" during his comments, noting that the U.S. has intelligence officials in both Saudi Arabia and Turkey working on the Khashoggi case.CIA Director Gina Haspel is among them as she works to comb through the facts in Turkey."They are heading back. I will know, I think, everything in a very short period of time," Trump said. "It's a bad situation. But certainly President Erdoğan was not complimentary about what happened. That was a terrible thing that happened."US to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi deathErdoğan speaks on phone wıth Khashoggi's family, sends condolencesErdoğan: Evidence shows Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered
Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plot
Mogherini said the confirmation of Khashoggi's death was a first step towards the truth and towards accountability.
"But the explanations offered so far by the Saudi authorities leave many doubts and many questions unanswered.
Recalling the Foreign Affairs Council last week, Mogherini said all 28 Foreign Ministers of the EU member states agreed to demand a credible and transparent investigation.
"We are working on further steps and statements to be taken together," she added.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia last week claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.
On the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.