UAE warns against destabilising Saudi Arabia
GARGASH WARNS AGAINST DESTABILISING SAUDI ARABIA OVER KHASHOGGI CASE
The UAE warned yesterday that the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi should not be exploited to “destabilise” Saudi Arabia.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said the UAE was “firmly” opposed to “politicisation [of the case] and efforts to destabilise Saudi Arabia”. He tweeted: “There are two scenarios in the crisis hitting Saudi Arabia. The first one seeks the truth amid leaks and counter-leaks, while the second attempts to undermine Riyadh and its position. In the wake of what’s happening, we stand firmly against politicisation, prejudices and attempts to destabilise Saudi Arabia and limit its role. There is no alternative to our stance.”
Gargash added that from the UAE perspective, the “region’s security, stability and role in the international arena depend on Saudi Arabia, due to its political, economic and religious weight. Therefore, we have to differentiate between the significant search for the truth, and the targeting of Riyadh and its stature”.
Turkey has denied sharing any audio recording with anyone, the country’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavusoglu said yesterday, dismissing reports that claimed Ankara had passed on a “recording of the killing” of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi to the United States.
“Turkey did not give anyone or any country the recording. It is out of the question for Turkey to give any kind of audio tape to [US Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo or any other US official. We have certain information and evidence [regarding Khashoggi’s disappearance],” Çavusoglu was quoted by Turkish daily Hurriyet as saying.
Çavusoglu, on a visit to Albania, told the media that Turkey has evidence obtained from its investigation into Khashoggi’s disappearance on October 2 and that it will transparently share the results with the world.
Meanwhile, the UAE yesterday warned that the growing controversy over Khashoggi’s disappearance should not be exploited to destabilise Saudi Arabia.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash tweeted: “There are two scenarios for the crisis hitting Saudi Arabia. The first one seeks the truth amid leaks and counter-leaks, while the second attempts to undermine Riyadh and its position ... we stand firmly against politicisation, prejudices and attempts to destabilise Saudi Arabia and limit its role.”
Alleged tapes
Khashoggi was last seen on October 2, entering the Saudi General Consulate in Istanbul.
A Saudi-Turkish team was formed to probe his fate, including a search of the consulate and the Saudi consul’s residence.
On Wednesday, Turkish Daily Yeni Safak published what it said were quotes from audio tapes in which Khashoggi’s “killers” allegedly cut his fingers off, before decapitating him. US TV station ABC News, reported on Thursday that during his visit to Turkey, Pompeo heard this audio and was shown a transcript of the recording. But Pompeo and the State Department denied the report.