Turkey ready to cooperate in int’l Khashoggi probe: FM

By Handan Kazanci

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is ready to cooperate if an international investigation is launched into the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Speaking at Anadolu Agency’s Editor's Desk, Mevlut Cavusoglu said it is "important" that Saudi Arabia accepted the killing of Khashoggi, although it was a late statement.

Turkey has not shared evidence on the Khashoggi case with any country, but there may be meetings between intelligence services, Cavusoglu added.

He also said that Turkey is ready to cooperate in a possible probe into the case at UN, international courts or institutions.

Remarks of Cavusoglu come as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepares to announce the initial findings of Ankara's investigation Tuesday and mounting skepticism over the Saudi explanation of what happened to the U.S. resident and Saudi Arabian national.

After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he was killed during a fight inside its Istanbul Consulate.

His body has not been recovered, nor has Saudi Arabia explained its shifting narrative on what transpired.

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

On the day of his disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.

A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the Saudi consul general as well as the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.