Death of Khashoggi: the Ryad version divides

Credible for the US president, troubling for the boss of the UN: the confirmation by Saudi Arabia of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi causes emotion and questions about the version of Ryad.

The kingdom announced Saturday morning that Khashoggi was killed inside his consulate in Istanbul during a brawl. A journalist who asked him if he considered this version "credible", Mr. Trump, traveling in Arizona, replied: "Yes, yes."

"Once again, it is early, we have not finished our evaluation or investigation but I think it is a very important step," he added, referring to the Saudi revelations.

A critic of the Crown Prince, Jamal Khashoggi, 59, had been living in exile in the United States since 2017. His disappearance on October 2 at the Istanbul consulate sparked an international crisis.

Initially cleaning the Sunni kingdom in the name of common strategic interests, Donald Trump admitted for the first time Thursday that the journalist was most likely dead, threatening Saudi Arabia with "very serious” consequences.

After the revelations about Jamal Khashoggi's death by Ryad, the 45th president of the United States said he "prefers that we do not use, as a reprisal, the cancellation of the equivalent of $ 110 billion of work, which means 600,000 jobs, "referring to military contracts with Saudi Arabia.

Skeptical American voters

Sarah Sanders, spokesperson for the US executive, presented the "most sincere condolences” from the White House, to the family, the bride and the friends of Jamal Khashoggi.

"The United States takes note of the announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the investigation into the fate of Jamal Khashoggi is progressing and that he (the kingdom, ed) has taken action against the suspects who have been identified so far, "said Sanders, adding that the United States was" saddened” to learn of his death.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Trump, was much more circumspect about the circumstances of his death. "To say that I am skeptical about the new Saudi version of Mr. Khashoggi is a euphemism," the Republican senator tweeted.

A clear challenge to the official version of Saudi Arabia. "It is difficult to find this last + explanation + credible," threw, in another tweet, this Republican Republican of South Carolina.

Another Republican senator, Bob Corker, said he doubted the credibility of Saudi authorities who had previously said that Khashoggi had come out alive from the consulate.

"The story that the Saudis have told about Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance continues to change every day, so we should not take their latest version for cash," tweeted Corker, who is chairman of the commission. Foreign Affairs in the Senate.

Guterres "deeply troubled"

Mike Coffman, a Republican representative who is facing a difficult campaign for his re-election in the November 6 elections, said the United States should "defend our values ​​and demand that our + allies + respect the rights of the United States." man".

The elected representative of Colorado, a member of the Armed Forces Committee of the House of Representatives, further urged Trump to recall the acting US ambbadador to Saudi Arabia. The president has yet to appoint an ambbadador to Ryad.

Bob Menendez, a Democratic member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Senate, told him that the United States should punish the Saudis involved.

"Even if Khashoggi died because of an altercation, nothing excuses his murder," he tweeted. "This is far from the end (of the case) and we must maintain international pressure."

The UN Secretary-General said he was "deeply disturbed by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi", according to a UN statement, "and stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the case. death".

The speed of the reaction of Antonio Guterres after the Saudi confession contrasts with the caution observed so far at the UN since early October.

20/10/2018 06:42:09 –
Washington (AFP) –
© 2018 AFP