French Minister pulls out of Saudi conference over Khashoggi's disappearance
Two weeks after Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared, France's Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said he was pulling out of a major investment conference in Saudi Arabia. "I won't go to Riyadh next week," he said, adding, "The current circumstances don't allow me to go to Riyadh." He echoed President Emmanuel Macron's remarks on Khashoggi's disappearance, calling it a "very serious" matter. Here's more.
Several business big shots, western media groups back out
Le Maire is one of the first senior Western officials to pull out of the October 23-25 Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. US Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, has said he will decide today whether to attend the conference. Several business titans and Western media groups have already pulled out of the conference organized by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
Khashoggi worked for Washington Post, was critical of Saudi policies
Khashoggi, who was critical of some of Saudi Arabia's policies, was living in self-imposed exile in the United States where he contributed to the Washington Post. He vanished after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Turkish officials claim he was killed and dismembered in the consulate by a hit squad which arrived from Riyadh - claims denied by the Saudi Government.
