Biden says he raised issue of Khashoggi’s murder
Newslooks- JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia
President Joe Biden said he raised the “outrageous” murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during his meeting on Friday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials say ordered his killing.
Biden said the de facto leader of the kingdom “basically said that he was not personally responsible for it.” He added, “I indicated I thought he was.”
The U.S. leader said he was also “straightforward and direct” with MBS about human rights issues broadly. “For an American president to be silent of the issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” Biden said.
Biden said “I don’t regret anything” about his comments as a presidential candidate when he pledged to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” in response to Khashoggi’s killing. He underwent the trip to Saudi Arabia in an effort to rebuild ties as global energy prices have soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden said he couldn’t guarantee that MBS or other elements of the Saudi state wouldn’t murder dissidents again, but pledged a strong response.
“If anything like that occurs again, they’ll get that response and much more,” Biden said.
Biden says he raised issue of Khashoggi’s murder
Newslooks- JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia
President Joe Biden said he raised the “outrageous” murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during his meeting on Friday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials say ordered his killing.
Biden said the de facto leader of the kingdom “basically said that he was not personally responsible for it.” He added, “I indicated I thought he was.”
The U.S. leader said he was also “straightforward and direct” with MBS about human rights issues broadly. “For an American president to be silent of the issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” Biden said.
Biden said “I don’t regret anything” about his comments as a presidential candidate when he pledged to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” in response to Khashoggi’s killing. He underwent the trip to Saudi Arabia in an effort to rebuild ties as global energy prices have soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden said he couldn’t guarantee that MBS or other elements of the Saudi state wouldn’t murder dissidents again, but pledged a strong response.
“If anything like that occurs again, they’ll get that response and much more,” Biden said.
