French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian
The killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a grave crime which needs to be investigated to unearth the truth, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday.
When asked whether France could act like Germany, which has said it wants to stop arms exports to the kingdom while uncertainty over Khashoggi's death persists, Le Drian said any response would come after the truth had been established.
A car belonging to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul has been found in the Sultangazi district of the city.Turkish and Saudi authorities have been investigating the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering the consulate on Oct. 2. After weeks of denying knowledge of his fate, Saudi officials said the prominent journalist was killed in a "rogue operation".A Turkish employee of the consulate left the vehicle in the parking lot a few days after Khashoggi went missing.Turkey says Khashoggi murder complicated and 'monstrously planned'The car is a Mercedes-Benz with diplomatic plates, and has therefore not yet been searched.After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday 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.Erdoğan says will discuss Khashoggi case with Turkey's ministers on MondayFootage of Saudi operative dressed in Khashoggi's clothes after journalist's death emergesSome lie and some die: Saudi media and Khashoggi affairPrince Salman backed into tight corner as links to Khashoggi murder become clearer
Car belonging to Saudi consulate found in Istanbul parking lot
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan left for Saudi Arabia to attend an investment conference boycotted by other leaders over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.Khan told an interviewer before leaving he was concerned at Khashoggi's death but could not skip the conference because "we're desperate" for possible Saudi loans to shore up Pakistan's economy.It is Khan's second visit to Saudi Arabia in just over a month, but he has not succeeded in securing significant financial assistance to stave off a looming balance of payment crisis.Khan told the Middle East Eye in an interview published on Monday that he could not pass up the invitation to meet Saudi leaders again."The reason I feel I have to avail myself of this opportunity is because in a country of 210 million people right now we have the worst debt crisis in our history," he was quoted as saying."Unless we get loans from friendly countries or the IMF (International Monetary Fund), we actually won't have in another two or three months enough foreign exchange to service our debts or to pay for our imports. So we're desperate at the moment."Finance Minister Asad Umar and Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood are accompanying Khan, a statement from Khan's office said on Monday, adding it "will give a chance to connect with those people who are interested in investing in Pakistan".Islamabad has already asked the IMF to open negotiations for the country's second potential bailout in five years.Siemens CEO Kaeser says he will not attend Saudi investment conferenceKhan, who took office in July, still has been seeking alternatives to the tough conditions the IMF is likely to impose for loans, limiting his vision of an Islamic welfare state.The central bank's foreign reserves dropped this month to $8.1 billion, a four-year low and barely enough to cover sovereign debt payments due through the end of the year. The current account deficit has swelled to about $18 billion.Khan has blamed the previous government's policies for the ballooning current account deficit.He told the Middle East Eye that he was concerned over the "shocking" death of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul."The Saudi government will have to come up with an answer… We wait for whatever the Saudi explanation is," he was quoted as saying. "We hope there is an explanation that satisfies people and those responsible are punished." Footage of Saudi operative dressed in Khashoggi's clothes after journalist's death emergesIndonesia urges Saudis on transparent Khashoggi probe
Imran Khan leaves for Saudi conference saying Pakistan 'desperate' for loans