Monday December 23, 2024

Turkey may grill Saudi officials over missing journalist if needed

Published : 17 Oct 2018, 01:36

DF-Xinhua Report

Photo taken on Oct. 16, 2018 shows Saudi Arabia's Consul General's residence in Istanbul, Turkey. Saudi Arabia's Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi left Turkey on Tuesday for his home country ahead of a search of his residence. Photo Xinhua by He Canling.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday said Turkey may interrogate officials at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul if needed.

"It is the responsibility of the Chief Prosecutors' Office to decide whom to interrogate or the questions to be asked ... The prosecutors may ask for the testimony of [any Saudi officials at the consulate] if needed," he said at a news conference in Ankara.

Cavusoglu underlined the importance of a transparent investigation into the case of Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

Cavusoglu also said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will bring more information on the issue when he pays a visit to Turkey on Wednesday.

On the same day, the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party spokesman Omer Celik said Turkey will do everything to solve the missing Saudi journalist's case.

On Monday, Turkish investigation team conducted a nine-hour search in the Saudi consulate building in Istanbul, after Turkey and Saudi agreed to work together on the probe.