Saudi prince says murder of journalist was ‘huge mistake'” Saudi prince says murder of journalist Khashoggi was ‘huge mistake
US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was a “huge mistake”.
He was speaking during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
It was his first White House visit in more than seven years.
Mr Trump welcomed the crown prince to the White House, with the Saudi de facto ruler seeking to further rehabilitate his global image after the 2018 killing and deepen ties with Washington.
Mr Trump described Mr Khashoggi as “extremely controversial,” adding, “a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about, whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happened, but he (the prince) knew nothing about it”.
Mr bin Salman said of the murder – by Saudi agents – “it’s painful and it’s a huge mistake, and we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again”.
Mr Trump added that Saudi Arabia had agreed to invest $600 billion in the United States, with the Saudi crown prince promising an increase in investment to $1 trillion.
“I want to thank you because you’ve agreed to invest $600 billion into the United States, and because he’s my friend, he might make it a trillion, but I’m gonna have to work on him,” Mr Trump said, referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The crown prince, in response, said the kingdom would increase US investment to $1 trillion.
Mr Trump added that the United States had reached a defence deal with Saudi Arabia.
Mr Trump said the pair also spoke about the Abraham Accords, adding that he believes he got a positive response.
The crown prince told reporters in the Oval Office that while Saudi Arabia wants to be part of the accords, which normalise ties with Israel, it also wants to make sure it secures a clear path for a two-state solution.
Mr Trump denied that he had any conflicts of interest in negotiating with the crown prince, after his sons signed a major real estate deal in that country.
“I have nothing to do with the family business. I have left, and… I’ve devoted 100% of my energy.
“What my family does is fine. They do business all over,” he said, referring to his sons who now manage the Trump Organization, and have signed several high-profile deals since their father returned to power.
Earlier, Mr bin Salman was greeted with a lavish display of pomp and ceremony presided over by Mr Trump on the South Lawn, complete with a military honour guard, a cannon salute and a flyover by US warplanes.
Talks between the two leaders are expected to advance security ties, civil nuclear cooperation and multibillion-dollar business deals with the kingdom.
But there will likely be no major breakthrough on Saudi Arabia normalising ties with Israel, despite pressure from Mr Trump for such a landmark move.
The meeting underscores a key relationship – between the world’s biggest economy and the top oil exporter – that Mr Trump has made a high priority in his second term as the international uproar around the killing of Mr Khashoggi, a Saudi insider-turned-critic, has gradually faded.
US intelligence concluded that Mr bin Salman approved the capture or killing of Mr Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The crown prince has denied ordering the operation but acknowledged responsibility as the kingdom’s de facto ruler.
The warm welcome for Mr bin Salman in Washington is the latest sign that relations have recovered from the deep strain caused by Mr Khashoggi’s murder.
