Turkish FM: No obstacle for Erdogan to meet bin Salman

By Tugrul Cam

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can meet with the Saudi crown prince if the latter requests so, Turkish foreign minister said on Friday.

Following the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month, Mohammed bin Salman -- who is attending the G20 summit in Argentina -- has expressed his will to meet Erdogan and has previously told Erdogan himself of his request over the phone, Cavusoglu told news channel CNN Turk.

"Of course, there's no reason not to meet bin Salman. Of course, it is up to our president," he said.

Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist working for The Washington Post, was killed shortly after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

After weeks of shifting explanations, Saudi Arabia suggested Khashoggi was killed during a botched rendition operation by rogue agents.

Cavusoglu also said that Turkey objects to a recent ruling of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) which demands the release of former co-chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas .

In November 2016, Demirtas along with 12 HDP lawmakers, were arrested on terror-related charges. Demirtas remains in custody pending trial.

Around a dozen HDP lawmakers are currently in prison pending trial for terrorism-related offenses after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in May 2016.

Turkey's government has said the HDP had links to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.