Prime Minister under pressure to tackle Saudis at G20 summit
THERESA MAY is under pressure to demand answers over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi when she meets Saudi Arabia’s crown prince this weekend.
The Prime Minister is expected to have a private meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the G20 summit of world leaders in Argentina.
The event sets the stage for a number of diplomatically awkward meetings. While on Air Force One en route to the gathering, Donald Trump, the US president, yesterday cancelled a meeting with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, citing the crisis in Ukraine.
“The ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia,” he posted on Twitter.
Argentina has agreed to investigate whether it can prosecute the Saudi prince for crimes against humanity, including the war in Yemen and the killing of Mr Khashoggi. The 59-year-old
was tortured to death by a hit squad at the Saudi consulate in Turkey last month, with the CIA claiming that the order came from the top.
Downing Street yesterday refused to confirm whether Mrs May would shake Prince Mohammed’s hand.
Tensions have been growing in recent weeks between the UK and Saudi Arabia, which are ostensibly allies in the war in Yemen. A spokesman said: “If the opportunity arises for the Prime Minister to deliver important messages in relation to Yemen, for instance, then I’m sure she will take the opportunity to do so. Engagement is important if we are to address these issues.”
Riyadh is blocking a draft UN resolution, tabled by Britain, calling for a halt to the fighting in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah and for guarantees from both sides for aid to be allowed in.
Prince Mohammed, Saudi’s de facto leader, is said to have objected on principle, believing victory can be achieved against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Saudis are said to have even threatened not to let the Yemeni government in exile attend Un-sponsored peace talks in Stockholm next week and appear to have successfully lobbied the US, which has stood firmly by Prince Mohammed over the Khashoggi saga, to help stall the resolution until proposed changes are considered.
The summit in Buenos Aires is the first time Mrs May has been face to face with Mr Putin since the Salisbury poisonings, though she is not expected to have any individual contact with him.
During two days of delicate diplomatic encounters, she is expected to discuss the Falkland Islands with Mauricio Macri, Argentina’s president.
Downing Street said it would be “up to Mr Macri” whether sovereignty of the islands was discussed but Mrs May will appoint a UK trade envoy to Argentina in a sign of the improving relationship between the two countries.
The Prime Minister will use G20 to try to salvage her Brexit deal’s reputation after Mr Trump’s damaging comments earlier this week. Mrs May will today tell world leaders the Brexit deal is good for the world economy.
From April, the UK takes its independent seat at the World Trade Organisation and she is keen to increase trade with Latin America, the fourth largest market in the world.