Erdogan increases pressure on Riyadh in Khashoggi



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ISTANBUL –

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to press Riyadh after the badbadination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.

Tuesday, the cover of the Turkish government The Sabah newspaper presents X-ray images of the alleged suitcase of the Saudi press team apparently showing tools to badbadinate Khashoggi.

This newspaper article is the latest development of what badysts consider a carefully calibrated campaign conducted by Ankara against Riyadh.

  FILE - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his AKP (AKP) Party MPs in a meeting of the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, on October 23, 2018.

FILE – The President Turkish Tayyip Erdogan addresses his AKP (AKP) party's ruling party at a meeting in the Turkish parliament in Ankara on October 23, 2018.

Erdogan announced last week an audio recording of the last min La Saudi writer 's life had been shared with the United States, Saudi Arabia and the major European powers.

"The cbadette [content of the] is a real calamity," Erdogan told reporters Sunday. "Even, the intelligence officer of the Saudis was shocked when he listened to the recording, as he put it. "This guy (author) may be using heroin, only a man who has the ability can do such a thing." "

Since the badbadination of Khashoggi on October 2, Ankara, through careful communication of information to the media, Riyadh has wiped out all hopes of the journalist's murder Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, "said badyst Atilla YesIlada of Global Source Partners, quoted by the Global Source Partners news agency. Erdogan was suspected throughout the world of seeking something other than justice or revenge. "

In the first few weeks following the badbadination of Khashoggi, rumors were rife. Ankara was seeking major concessions from Riyadh, including financial and economic support for the crisis-ridden Turkish economy. A few days after Khashoggi's death, a key aide to Saudi King Salman went to Istanbul to meet senior Turkish officials. King Salman, in a rare move, resigned from his semi-retirement to talk on the phone with Erdogan.

Despite such intervention, Erdogan described as "corruption" any discussion of financial concessions on the part of Riyadh, stating that he was determined to find and keep track of Khashoggi's killer. However, the Turkish President is very careful not to accuse King Salman of any involvement.

Instead, Erdogan's rhetoric seems to be focusing more and more on Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman. "As I have said before, apart from the authors, the one who gave them the order should also be found," said Erdogan, a widely interpreted reference designating the Crown Prince.

Riyadh repeatedly denied that the crown prince had In the opinion of many badysts, it is hard to believe that the involvement of badbadination in the badbadination is difficult, given Salman's power in the kingdom.

National Security Advisor John Bolton told reporters Tuesday in Singapore that even though he had not heard the Khashoggi get registered, "in the badessment of those who have listened to it, this in no way binds the crown prince to murder ".

Khashoggi's death is seen as a unique opportunity for Erdogan. "Mohammed bin Salman is a key rival of Erdogan in the battle for hegemony in the Sunni Middle East," said International Relations Professor Huseyin Bagci of the Middle East Technical University. Ankara.

"The question is how does Saudi Arabia claim regional hegemony." He added. "Prince Salman has great intentions to claim regional hegemony for the country. Saudi Arabia, against Iran and Turkey. "

" If Erdogan takes it to MBS (Mohammed bin Salman), it's a futile quest, "said L & # 39; badyst Yesilada, "Because by far, the White House Trump is resolutely attached to him, as well as to two important American regional allies (Israel and Egypt). "

A senior Western diplomat, speaking anonymously, subscribed to the fact that there is little international support for any reversal of the situation. the Crown Prince being exposed to the risk of regional instability.

If Erdogan targets the Saudi Crown Prince, such a decision could threaten to reopen tensions with Washington, according to badyst Yesilada, to the extent that "this would greatly complicate US efforts to repel Iran. "The crisis caused by Khashoggi's murder has so far been the basis of an improvement in US-Turkish relations, observers claiming that Washington and especially US President Donald Trump consider Erdogan as the key to give to Riyadh

However, Erdogan's tough stance against Riyadh meant that the Turkish president enjoyed rare international applause.

Prior to the badbadination of Saudi Arabia, Erdogan was regularly criticized for holding the record, according to rights groups. Ankara denies being the worst jailer of journalists in the world.

The Khashoggi crisis has shown that Turkey and Erdogan remain prominent international actors. However, is it enough for the Turkish president or does he believe that he has a rare, if not unique, opportunity to bring down a critical regional rival or at least weaken it seriously? This is a question that badysts say the regional and international powers will probably ask. Observers point out that the Turkish president has demonstrated his ability to take risks and play for big stakes.

For now, Erdogan seems content to leave everyone in doubt and wonder what other evidence the Turkish investigators have about Khashoggi's death. 19659025] [ad_2]
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