US Secretary of Defense says Khashoggi's "killing" undermines regional stability



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"A country's non-compliance with international standards and the rule of law undermines regional stability at a time when it is needed most," said Mattis.

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He never mentioned his de facto Saudi Arabian ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Saudi prosecutor said Khashoggi 's murder was premeditated, which contradicts an earlier official statement that it was accidentally caught during a brawl at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi officials also said he was killed by accident as part of a botched security operation aimed at sending him back to the kingdom.

During his address at the Manama Dialogue Security Conference, Mattis reviewed a list of what he described as disruptive Iranian behavior – a message that most Gulf allies will have a positive outlook on. because they share the same concerns about Iran's growing influence in Syria and Iraq.

While Mattis has made some of the strongest comments about Khashoggi's badbadination, he added that the two countries still needed to work together for stability in the region.

"It is hard to imagine that this administration, in particular, will fundamentally change its perception of the Saudis' role in the fight against terrorism, in terms of fighting against Iran," said Dennis Ross, Supreme Counsel for President Barack in the Middle East. Obama in his first term.

At the same conference, Foreign Minister Jubeir said that relations between Washington and Washington were "tarnished" in the midst of what he called "hysteria in the media" at the following the murder of Khashoggi.

In response to the badbadination, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced this week that action would be taken against 21 Saudis either to revoke their visa or to make it ineligible for a visa. US visa after the badbadination of Khashoggi.

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"Our Secretary of State (…) will take additional action as the situation is clarified," said Mattis.

Mattis said that Russia's presence in the Middle East – a major ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – could not replace the United States, which he reiterated the long-standing, durable and transparent commitment towards the region.

He said it was important to end a 16-month-old dispute between Qatar and four Arab countries which, according to badysts, would have weakened regional coordination against Iran.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt ended trade relations and travel with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting their rival, Iran , and support terrorism. Qatar denies the charges.

"Resolving internal debates between our GCC partners is essential to achieving this vision, without which we would weaken our security," he said, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Mattis said he continued to support partners in the region who were defending against Houthi attacks in Yemen, but also called for an end to fighting in this region.

A Saudi-led coalition that intervened in the Yemeni war in 2015 conducted frequent air strikes targeting the Houthi group aligned with Iran and often struck civilians, though it voluntarily denies it.

Reuters

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