Saudis hit out at US senate’s criticism of crown prince
SAUDI Arabia has issued an unusually strong rebuke of the US senate, rejecting a bipartisan resolution that blamed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and describing it as an interference in the kingdom’s affairs.
The unusually strong rebuke of the US senate is the latest sign of how the relationship between the royal court and America has deteriorated, more than two months after Mr Khashoggi was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.
The assassins have been linked to Prince Mohammed.
Last Thursday, US senators passed a measure that blamed the crown prince for Mr Khashoggi’s killing and called on Riyadh to “ensure appropriate accountability”.
Senators also passed a separate measure calling for the end of US aid to the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia said the US senate’s resolution “contained blatant interferences” in the kingdom’s internal affairs and undermines its regional and international role. The resolution was based on “unsubstantiated claims and allegations,” the statement also said.
It added: “The kingdom categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs, any and all accusations, in any manner, that disrespect its leadership.”
Such language is usually reserved for those who criticise the kingdom’s human rights record, such as Sweden in 2015 after the public flogging of a blogger, and Canada this year over the arrests of women’s rights activists.
However, the statement was also tempered in saying the kingdom “reaffirms” its commitment to relations with the United States and describing the senate as “an esteemed legislative body of an allied and friendly government”.
US President Donald Trump has been reluctant to condemn the crown prince, despite US intelligence officials concluding that Prince Mohammed must have at least had knowledge of the plot.
He instead has touted Saudi arms deals worth billions of dollars and has thanked the Saudis for lower oil prices.
Saudi Arabia denies Prince Mohammed was involved in the killing of Mr Khashoggi.