Saudi Arabia says it rejects any “threats” of economic sanctions or political pressure regarding the disappearance of a Saudi writer—and European nations are calling for an investigation,… World News Summaries.
(Newser)
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Saudi Arabia says it rejects any “threats” of economic sanctions or political pressure regarding the disappearance of a Saudi writer—and European nations are calling for an investigation, the AP reports. In a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Sunday, the Saudi government said it will respond to any steps taken against it over the vanishing of Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi stocks plunged nearly 7% Sunday after President Trump went on 60 Minutes and said that “we’re going to get to the bottom of it, and there will be severe punishment” if US officials find that Riyadh ordered Khashoggi’s murder. Khashoggi went missing when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Turkish officials fear Khashoggi was killed and dismembered, allegations rejected by Saudi officials.
Meanwhile, Germany, France, and Britain are calling for a “credible investigation” to establish what happened to Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi and seek a “complete and detailed” Saudi response. The German, French, and British foreign ministers said in a joint statement Sunday that defending freedom of expression and ensuring protection for journalists are key priorities and that they are “treating this incident with the utmost seriousness.” They said there must be a credible investigation to establish the truth and “if relevant” identify those responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance. “We encourage joint Saudi-Turkish efforts in that regard, and expect the Saudi government to provide a complete and detailed response,” they added.
