Trump Says Breaking Up Relations With Saudi Arabia Would Bring Oil Price To $150

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2018) US President Donald Trump said he would not break up relations with Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the consulate in Istanbul and explained that one of the reasons is that it would bring the oil price to $150.

"Saudi Arabia is probably the second biggest oil producer. They've worked with us very well, we've kept oil prices down. If you want to see oil prices go to $150 a barrel ... all you have to do is break up our relationship with Saudi Arabia," Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

Trump also said that the CIA did not determine whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was aware of the prepared killing of Khashoggi.

Trump said in a statement earlier in the day that bin Salman could have been aware of the prepared murder of Khashoggi. He added the United States is determined to remain a committed partner of Saudi Arabia in order to ensure its interests and those of its international partners such as Israel.

Khashoggi went missing on October 2, after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of the journalist's whereabouts, however, later the Saudi authorities admitted that the Washington Post columnist had died inside the consulate.

On November 15, the Saudi Prosecutor General's Office said that the journalist had been killed with a drug injection and his body had been dismembered and taken out of the consulate, adding that a total of 21 people had been detained in relation to the case.

US lawmakers have called for further action against the government of Saudi Arabia, including axing the arms deal with the kingdom over the Khashoggi murder. The Trump administration has already sanctioned 17 Saudi nationals who were allegedly involved in the killing.