Spain Urges Ankara, Riyadh To Jointly Probe Disappearance Of Saudi Journalist - Minister

Rukhshan Mir (@rukhshanmir) Published October 15, 2018 | 03:37 PM

Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has demanded that the circumstances of the recent disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian opposition journalist in Turkey, be clarified and called on Ankara and Riyadh to jointly investigate the incident.

MADRID (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2018) Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has demanded that the circumstances of the recent disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian opposition journalist in Turkey, be clarified and called on Ankara and Riyadh to jointly investigate the incident.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, went missing in Turkey on October 2. According to the journalist's fiancee, he was invited to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but never left the consulate building. According to media reports, Turkish investigators believe the journalist was murdered inside the consulate, but Saudi Arabia claims that Khashoggi went missing after he left the building.

"We demand that the circumstances of this man's disappearance should be clarified. The Turkish authorities must investigate [the incident] in cooperation with Saudi Arabia," Borrel told reporters ahead of the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg.

A number of states, including Germany, France and the United Kingdom, have expressed serious concerns over the journalist's disappearance. US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to "punish" Riyadh if it were proven to be behind the suspected killing.