US Senate concludes Saudi Crown Prince ordered the murder of journalist Khashoggi
US senators demand Saudi Arabia take responsibility for Khashoggi case, warning that Washington-Riyadh relations could deteriorate.
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Crown Prince Mohammed at an international conference in 2017. Photo:AFP. |
"The US Senate unanimously concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This is a very strong message, I think it represents the values that we uphold,"AFPquoted US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker as saying yesterday.
The US Senate has voted to pass two resolutions proposed by Republicans, demanding that the US government stop supporting the Saudi Arabian coalition's military campaign in Yemen and accusing Crown Prince Mohammed of being responsible for Khashoggi's death. It was supported by at least 10 Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The resolution also warned that Saudi Arabia's arms purchases and increased cooperation with Russia and China could threaten Washington-Riyadh defense relations.
However, the vote is largely symbolic as the resolution needs to be passed by the US House of Representatives before taking effect, while Republicans in the House have repeatedly vetoed bills criticizing Saudi Arabia.
US President Donald Trump has said he wants to maintain an alliance with Riyadh and support the Saudi Crown Prince, warning that he will veto bills that go against this view. The White House has not commented on the vote in the US Senate.
Khashoggi, a journalist who frequently criticized Crown Prince Mohammed, was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Türkiye to obtain marriage documents on October 2. After repeated denials, Saudi Arabia admitted responsibility for Khashoggi's murder because it could not persuade the journalist to return home.
His body was dismembered, removed from the consulate and handed over to an unidentified accomplice. Eleven people have been charged by Riyadh in connection with the assassination, with five facing the death penalty. The CIA is said to have concluded that Prince Mohammed ordered a team of 15 assassins to kill Khashoggi, but has refused to comment on the information.
