Outrage as Macron meets Saudi prince
EmmanuEl macron courted controversy last night by hosting Saudi arabia’s crown prince for dinner in Paris.
The meeting is part of mohammed Bin Salman’s first visit to Europe since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The two leaders last met in the Saudi city of Jeddah in December.
last night’s talks drew a stinging rebuke from mr Khashoggi’s fiancée.
Hatice Cengiz said France’s president had welcomed her late partner’s ‘executioner with all the honours’.
She added: ‘The surge in energy prices because of the war in ukraine cannot justify that – in the name of alleged realpolitik – we absolve the person responsible for Saudi policy toward political opponents.’ French Green mEP Yannick Jadot, who ran in this year’s presidential elections, also chided mr macron for welcoming the prince to the Elysee.
‘Is the dismembered body of the journalist Khashoggi on the menu for the evening meal?’ he asked.
Prince mohammed has repeatedly denied involvement in the killing of the ex-Washington Post writer.
Western powers are courting Saudi arabia once more amid fears Russia will cut gas supplies this winter.
French Pm Elisabeth Borne insisted that such concerns made talks with energy producers necessary.