UK presses Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi murderers

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - British foreign made clear to Saudi Arabian officials that those responsible for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder must be held accountable, Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday.

May also reiterated the U.K.’s calls for a transparent investigation into the killing.

“As we seek to protect and advance our common security, it is vital that we and our partners in the international community demonstrate our common adherence to the rule of law,” May said in an address to the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet. “We have seen this most recently in the terrible murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

“And as the foreign secretary made clear again in his visit to Riyadh today, there must be a transparent and credible investigation and those responsible must be held to account.”

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Monday visited Saudi Arabia and met with King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.

It is “unacceptable” the full circumstances behind Jamal Khashoggi's murder still remain unclear, Hunt said Sunday prior to his visit to Riyadh.

He urged Saudi officials to fully cooperate with Turkey to enlighten what happened to Khashoggi.

Hunt is the first U.K. minister to have visited Saudi Arabia since the murder of the Saudi journalist last month, a Foreign Office statement said.

“He will use his meetings to make clear the importance of Saudi Arabia cooperating with Turkey to conduct a full and credible investigation into Mr. Khashoggi’s death,” it said.