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PHOTO FILE: A protester holds a poster with a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in front of the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 25, 2018. REUTERS / Osman Orsal / File Photo
ANKARA (Reuters) – Donald Trump's comments on Jamal Khashoggi's murder show that the US president will turn a blind eye to the case, no matter what investigators find, the Turkish foreign minister said on Friday.
On Tuesday, Trump vowed to remain an "unshakeable partner" of Saudi Arabia, although Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was made aware of Khashoggi's assassination plan last month.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, criticizing Trump's stance for putting Riyadh's trade agreements ahead of justice, said that human life must prevail.
"This statement made by Trump also means:" Whatever happens, I will close my eyes. "This approach is not correct, it is not all about money," Cavusoglu told CNN Turk television channel.
He also stated that the United States had not informed Turkey of an audio recording of the killing of Khashoggi, a day after the Turkish newspaper reported that the CIA had reported to Turkey a recording in which the prince heir had ordered "to silence Khashoggi".
Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, said that Khashoggi 's assassination order came from the highest level of the Saudi government, but probably not from King Salman, instead putting the accent on the government. Salman's heir, Prince Mohammed.
A day after contradictory Turkish media announced whether Erdogan would meet Prince Mohammed at the G20 summit in Argentina next week, Cavusoglu said there was no reason for a meeting to take place, but the final decision was made by Erdogan.
The president did not directly accuse the Crown Prince of organizing the murder and the Saudi government denied knowing of the strike team, including an intelligence officer of the USSR. security team of the prince, who was sent to Turkey. killed Khashoggi at the consulate of Saudi Arabia.
"We can not charge a person without clear evidence, it's not correct," Cavusoglu said. "However, the statement" it can be, it can not be "seemed interesting to us.
Reports by Ali Kucukgocmen and Dominic Evans; Written by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Edited by David Dolan, William Maclean