Turkey urges Saudi Arabia to support Khashoggi probe

By Meryem Goktas

ANKARA

Turkey's justice minister on Thursday urged Saudi authorities to support the investigation into slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After initially saying Khashoggi had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later he had died there.

"We expect the Saudi authorities to engage a close cooperation on this issue. They need to support in the form of cooperation in order to enlighten the whole incident," Abdulhamit Gul told reporters during a joint news conference with his Hungarian counterpart Laszlo Trocsany in Ankara.

Gul said despite written questions asked by Turkey's Chief Public Prosecutor's office, no answers have yet been received by the Saudi officials.

"We expect these questions to be answered as soon as possible. The Turkish judiciary will also deepen the investigation to answer these questions," he added.

Stating that the international issue cannot be covered up, the justice minister said the responsibility on the Khashoggi killing can not be avoided.

On questions whether the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor will visit Saudi Arabia as part of the Khashoggi probe, Gul said that it is "likely not happening because the incident occurred in Turkey."

"Without Turkey's questions are answered, I think it is not right to enter into a new stage," he added.

Investigation of the incident suggests a special hit squad came to the consulate to kill Kashoggi and cover up the murder. The international community refused to accept the Saudi claim that the incident was not a premeditated murder.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that all details of the case should be revealed, including who gave the instruction for the "premeditated murder".

U.S. President Donald Trump said he could impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia, but also signaled that he did not want to harm bilateral relations.

Telephoning Erdogan, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman promised necessary cooperation.

The chief prosecutor's office in Riyadh also announced that the murder was planned.