During his crucial trip to Saudi Arabia, United States President Joe Biden said that he raised the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi “at the top of the meeting” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
After meeting Prince Mohammed on Friday (July 15), Biden said: “What happened to Khashoggi was outrageous… I just made it clear if anything occurs like that again they will get that response and much more.”
“I was straightforward and direct in discussing it. I made my view crystal clear. I said very straightforwardly, for an American president to be silent on an issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” he added.
ALSO READ | US President Biden gives fist bump to Saudi crown prince as he begin crucial meeting
US intelligence officials believe that Prince Mohammed ordered the operation that led to Washington Post journalist Khashoggi’s death.
While mentioning the response of the Crown Prince, Biden said, “He basically said that he was not personally responsible for it. I indicated that I thought he was.”
Three years ago, Biden vowed to make Saudi Arabia a pariah state over the assassination of Khashoggi and alleged human rights abuses. Now, Biden landed in the same country with oil, human rights, Iran and Israel on his agenda.
ALSO READ | Around 70% of Russian missile strikes deliberately targetted civilian objects, Ukraine claims
Footage by the state television Al-Ekhbariya showed Biden was greeted by Prince Mohammed with a fist bump. The US President was then escorted into Al-Salam palace.
During the meeting, they discussed energy among other topics. He said that he expected to see “further steps” from Saudi on energy in the coming weeks.
Khashoggi’s fiancee said that Biden had enabled Saudi Arabia’s crown prince to take more victims after the meeting. Hatice Cengiz wrote to Biden: “Is this the accountability you promised for my murder? The blood of MBS’s next victim is on your hands.”
The post was in the form of what she imagined as a tweet by Khashoggi.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
