Riyadh welcomes Turkey’s response to Khashoggi probe

By Mahmut Geldi

BEIRUT (AA) - Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed Turkey’s positive response to its request to form a joint committee to probe the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“Saudi Arabia commends the positive response from our brother country Turkey to its request to form a joint expert team to bring the Jamal Khashoggi case to light,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on its official Twitter account.

“We firmly believe in the capability of the joint investigation team to complete the mission through cooperation.”

The statement emphasized that Saudi Arabia gives great importance to the lives and security of its citizens no matter where they live.

“Within the framework of close cooperation between Turkey and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and upon the suggestion of the Kingdom, a joint working team between Turkey and Saudi Arabia will be formed to investigate the case of Jamal in all its aspects," Turkish presidential aide Ibrahim Kalin said Thursday.

Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Oct. 2.

On the same day that he arrived at the diplomatic building, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was also inside, police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.

Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.