U.S. President Donald Trump
A group of Republican senators asked U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday to suspend civilian nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi actions in Yemen and Lebanon.
The five U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Marco Rubio, said they would use the Atomic Energy Act to block any U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreements if Trump did not cut off talks.
"The ongoing revelations about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as certain Saudi actions related to Yemen and Lebanon, have raised further serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decision makers in Saudi Arabia," the senators wrote.
Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor has completed his inspections in Turkey and is heading to Istanbul's Ataturk airport, a private Turkish broadcaster said on Wednesday, after he held three days of talks with Turkish officials on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Saud Al Mojeb carried out inspections at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Khashoggi was killed earlier this month, and held meetings with Turkey's public prosecutor and Turkish intelligence officials.Indonesia protests to Saudi over execution of maid convicted of murderFrench foreign minister says sanctions against Saudi Arabia possibleSaudi prosecutor discusses Khashoggi case with Turkish intelligence
Saudi prosecutor completes inspections in Turkey, heads to airport
"We therefore request that you suspend any related negotiations for a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement for the foreseeable future," said the lawmakers, who included senators Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, Dean Heller and Todd Young.
Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, which was first reported by NBC News.
Khashoggi, a leading critic of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. The death of the Washington Post columnist, a U.S. resident who had American children, sparked global outrage and pitched the world's top oil exporter into crisis.
France doesn't rule out any sanction against Saudi Arabia if its authorities are found to have been involved in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday.France has called on Saudi Arabia to establish the truth about the case -- having already changed its story several times -- identify those behind the killing and punish them."So long as those who are responsibile and the circumstances around the killing are not made public, released and evaluated, we will go on demanding the truth," Le Drian told RTL radio. "So far we don't have it.""We'll take the necessary measures against those who are responsible," Le Drian said, adding that France didn't rule out any sanctions against Saudi Arabia, which is a large buyer of French armaments, luxury products and many other exports.The death of Khashoggi - a Washington Post columnist and a critic of Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - has sparked global outrage and pitched the world's top oil exporter into a period of crisis.Saudi prosecutor discusses Khashoggi case with Turkish intelligenceKhashoggi disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and has not been seen since. His body has not been found. Saudi Arabia has admitted he was killed in what it described as a botched rendition attempt.Western countries have grown increasingly critical of Saudi Arabia over the case, as well as Saudi's pursuit of its war in Yemen. Germany has said it will stop arm sales to Riyadh.Le Drian said Germany acted too early. "I think we must wait for the investigation to find the culprits," he said.He downplayed the importance of weapon sales to Saudi Arabia for the French economy, saying they represented only 7 percent of the France's overall weapon exports."We are not dependent on Saudi Arabia on that matter," he said.US schools rethinking Saudi funding
French foreign minister says sanctions against Saudi Arabia possible
The United States has called for transparency in the investigation of Khashoggi's death and revoked the U.S. visas of some Saudis over the incident. Trump has said Prince Mohammed bore ultimate responsibility for what happened to Khashoggi but has also cited Riyadh as a strong ally.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday called for a cessation of hostilities in Yemen and urged the start of U.N.-led negotiations to end the civil war next month.
Saudi Arabia's official comments on Khashoggi's death have shifted from initially denying any involvement to saying the killing was premeditated. Both Saudi Arabia and Turkey are investigating Khashoggi's death.
Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor held talks overnight with Turkish intelligence officials over the investigation into the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Demirören news agency said.It said Saud Al Mojeb left his hotel shortly after midnight and went to the Istanbul regional offices of Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MIT). It did not say how long he stayed there before returning to his hotel.Khashoggi's death has escalated into a crisis for the world's top oil exporter, which at first denied any knowledge of, or role in, his disappearance four weeks ago.UN calls for impartial probe into Khashoggi’s killingLast week Mojeb contradicted previous Saudi statements, saying Khashoggi's killing was premeditated. Riyadh says it has arrested 18 suspects, including a team sent to Istanbul hours before Khashoggi's death, but has rejected Turkey's call for their extradition.President Tayyip Erdoğan, who has demanded more information from Saudi Arabia, said on Tuesday Istanbul's chief prosecutor had asked Mojeb to disclose who sent the team from Riyadh which is suspected of involvement in the killing.The killing of Khashoggi, a critic of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has put into focus the West's close relationship with Saudi Arabia - a major arms buyer and lynchpin of Washington's regional plans to contain Iran. Washington Post awaits answers on Khashoggi murder
Saudi prosecutor discusses Khashoggi case with Turkish intelligence
United Nations (UN) called for an independent and impartial investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Tuesday.UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that international experts should be involved to investigate the Khashoggi murder and urged Saudi authorities to reveal the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body without any delay.In a statement, Bachelet described the Khashoggi murder as “shockingly brazen crime.”"For an investigation to be carried out free of any appearance of political considerations, the involvement of international experts, with full access to evidence and witnesses, would be highly desirable," she said."Forensic examination, including an autopsy on the body of the victim is a crucial element in any investigation into a killing, and I urge the Saudi authorities to reveal the whereabouts of his body without further delay or prevarication," she added.UK foreign secretary: I was unaware of Khashoggi plotBachelet said she is pleased with the Turkish and Saudi authorities' efforts in investigating the murder."I welcome the steps taken by Turkish and Saudi authorities to investigate and prosecute the alleged perpetrators of Mr. Khashoggi’s murder," Bachelet stated."But given the information that high-level officials in Saudi Arabia were apparently involved, and it took place in the Consulate of Saudi Arabia, the bar must be set very high to ensure meaningful accountability and justice for such a shockingly brazen crime against a journalist and Government critic," she remarked.Bachelet added that the full truth must be uncovered and offenders should pay the price.Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After weeks of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, on Oct. 20 Saudi officials admitted that the journalist had died inside the consulate building.Erdoğan says Turkish prosecutor asked Saudi counterpart who sent Khashoggi's killers
UN calls for impartial probe into Khashoggi’s killing