Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Saudi Arabia — the latest stop in his swing through the Middle East. He’s expected to meet with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The department said Pompeo also made clear the importance of a credible investigation into Khashoggi’s killing at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October. Pompeo “emphasized the importance of Saudi Arabia continuing its investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in order to ascertain facts, assess information, and hold those responsible accountable.”
The relationship between Riyadh and Washington remains tense following Khashoggi’s brutal slaying and dismemberment at the consulate.
A CIA assessment has blamed the crown prince for ordering the killing of Khashoggi, a longtime royal insider who had become a critic, though Saudi officials deny the prince ordered the murder.
The killing has sparked the kingdom’s worst political crisis in a generation, strained ties with Western allies including the U.S., and focused attention on the crown prince’s domestic crackdown on dissent.