Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Canadian intelligence officers have listened to Turkish recordings of what happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday, adding that he was discussing with allies what next steps should be taken.
Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate by a team sent from Riyadh. Saudi authorities have acknowledged that the killing was premeditated, but his body has not been found.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said over the weekend that audio recordings of the killing had been given to the U.S., French, German and British governments.
When asked on a visit to Paris whether Canadian intelligence had heard the Turkish recordings, Trudeau said: "Yes", although he added that had not heard them personally.
It is “unacceptable” that the full circumstances behind Jamal Khashoggi's murder still remain unclear, the British foreign secretary said.Speaking ahead of his visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Jeremy Hunt urged Saudi officials for a full co-operation with Turkey to enlighten what had happened to Khashoggi.Hunt will be the first U.K. Minister to visit Saudi Arabia since the murder of the Saudi journalist one month ago, a Foreign Office statement said.“He [Hunt] will use his meetings to make clear the importance of Saudi Arabia cooperating with Turkey to conduct a full and credible investigation into Mr Khashoggi’s death,” it said.Pompeo says US to hold Khashoggi killers accountable“The international community remain united in horror and outrage at the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi one month ago,” Hunt said.He added: “It is clearly unacceptable that the full circumstances behind his murder still remain unclear.“We encourage the Saudi authorities to co-operate fully with the Turkish investigation into his death, so that we deliver justice for his family and the watching world.”The statement added that Hunt will meet King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen and Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled Al Yamani.Saudi crown prince meets British special envoy“The Foreign Secretary is seeking to build support among international, and particularly regional, partners for new action in the UN Security Council to bolster the UN-led peace process, following his meeting with UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths at the end of October,” it said.“The human cost of war in Yemen is incalculable: with millions displaced, famine and disease rife and years of bloodshed, the only solution is now a political decision to set aside arms and pursue peace,” Hunt said.“Britain has a unique position, both as pen-holder at the UN Security Council and as a key influencer in the region, so today I am travelling to the Gulf to demand that all sides commit to this process.“We are witnessing a man-made humanitarian catastrophe on our watch: now is the window to make a difference, and to get behind both the UN peace process and current UK efforts in the Security Council,” he said.Impoverished Yemen has remained wracked by violence since 2014, when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a devastating air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.Trump discussed Khashoggi response with Erdoğan: White House
UK urges Saudi cooperation in Khashoggi case
"Canada's intelligence agencies have been working very closely on this issue with Turkish intelligence and Canada has been fully briefed on what Turkey had to share," Trudeau told a news conference.
He added that he had also spoken to Erdogan about the issue in Paris over the weekend.
Canada is part of the so-called five eyes intelligence network which shares information along with the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
Trudeau faces a dilemma as an election approaches over how to clamp down credibly on Riyadh over its human rights record while sparing a $13 billion arms deal with the kingdom.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged on Sunday to hold accountable those responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Pompeo had a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert."The Secretary emphasized that the United States will hold all of those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable, and that Saudi Arabia must do the same," said Nauert.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was killed Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying involvement, the kingdom admitted Khashoggi had been killed at the consulate but claimed the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of a plot to murder him.So far, 18 people, including security officers, have been arrested in Saudi Arabia in connection with the murder.On Yemen, Pompeo reiterated Washington’s calls for a "cessation of hostilities and for all parties to come to the table to negotiate a peaceful solution" to the conflict under the UN Special Envoy, Martin Griffiths.Impoverished Yemen has remained wracked by violence since 2014, when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a devastating air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.Saudi king meets UK envoy in RiyadhUN journalists hail Turkish probe into Khashoggi murderTrump discussed Khashoggi response with Erdoğan: White House40 days on, Khashoggi’s killing and the aftermath
Pompeo says US to hold Khashoggi killers accountable
He is under pressure to freeze the contract for armoured vehicles built in Canada by U.S.-based General Dynamics, although the deal underpins 3,000 jobs in the small city of London, Ontario.
Sidestepping a question on whether the recordings could change Ottawa's relationship with Riyadh and have consequences, Trudeau said he was continuing to talk with allies about the investigation and accountability for those behind the murder.
"We are in discussions with our like-minded allies as to the next steps with regard to Saudi Arabia," Trudeau said.
Earlier on Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Paris was not in possession of recordings related to Khashoggi's killings, apparently contradicting Erdogan's remarks.
"The truth isn't out yet. We want to know the truth, the circumstances of his death and the identity of the culprits. Then we will take the necessary actions," Le Drian told France 2 television. "If the Turkish president has information to give us, he must give it to us. For now, I don't know about it."
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has discussed bilateral relations with British Prime Minister Theresa May's special envoy, Simon McDonald, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.McDonald's talks in Riyadh comes as British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said he will visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Monday to press for an end to the war in Yemen and to urge Saudi leaders to cooperate with an investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. UN journalists hail Turkish probe into Khashoggi murderTrump discussed Khashoggi response with Erdoğan: White House40 days on, Khashoggi’s killing and the aftermath
Saudi crown prince meets British special envoy