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Jamal Khashoggi: US envoy Mike Pompeo to meet Saudi Arabia's king Jamal Khashoggi: US envoy Mike Pompeo to meet Saudi Arabia's king
(about 1 hour later)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman, amid controversy over the fate of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman, as pressure grows on the Saudis to explain the fate of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Mr Pompeo will then visit Turkey, where Mr Khashoggi was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago. Mr Khashoggi was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.
Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents but the Saudis have strongly denied this. Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents but the Saudis have denied this.
On Monday, President Donald Trump suggested "rogue killers" could be behind Mr Khashoggi's disappearance. However, US media are reporting that the Saudis may be preparing to admit that Mr Khashoggi died as a result of an interrogation that went wrong.
The president provided no evidence to back his comment. Overnight, Turkish police completed a search of the consulate after being admitted by Saudi authorities.
However, he said that during a phone call the Saudi king had firmly denied knowing what had happened to Mr Khashoggi. What's likely to come from the Pompeo meeting?
Early on Tuesday, Turkish police left the Saudi consulate, where Mr Khashoggi was last seen, after an overnight search. The secretary of state will be looking for the king to expand on his conversation with President Donald Trump on Monday.
It was the first time they had been allowed to enter the building since the journalist disappeared on 2 October. It followed disagreements between the two sides over the terms of any search. Tweeting about the call, Mr Trump said: "Just spoke to the king of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened 'to our Saudi Arabian citizen'."
However, unconfirmed reports in the US media suggest Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that Mr Khashoggi died as a result of an interrogation that went wrong and that the original intention had been to abduct him. He later told reporters: "The denial was very, very strong. It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?"
Meanwhile, Arabic channel Al-Jazeera quotes the Turkish attorney-general's office as saying it has found evidence to back claims that Mr Khashoggi was killed inside the mission. There is a lot at stake given the strength of Saudi-US ties. Mr Trump has already ruled out cancelling a lucrative arms deal.
Earlier, a Turkish security source told the BBC officials had audio and video evidence proving Mr Khashoggi was murdered there. King Salman ordered an investigation into the missing journalist on Monday. Saudi statements up to now have dismissed allegations of a killing as "baseless" and "lies".
The issue has strained Saudi Arabia's ties with its closest Western allies. The kingdom has also angrily rejected what it called political and economic "threats", saying it would respond to any punitive action, such as sanctions, "with a bigger one".
How are the Saudis reacting? Mr Pompeo is also expected to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his day in Riyadh. The secretary of state will then head to Turkey.
Diplomatic pressure is growing on the Saudis to give a fuller explanation. Reflecting the growing pressure on Saudi Arabia, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday demanded that the kingdom and Turkey reveal all that they know about the case.
On Monday, King Salman ordered an investigation. She said that the diplomatic inviolability of the consulate and the diplomatic immunity of officials should be waived during the investigation.
"The king has ordered the public prosecutor to open an internal investigation into the Khashoggi matter based on the information from the joint team in Istanbul," an official quoted by Reuters news agency said. What is this US media line about?
The official said the prosecutor had been instructed to work quickly. It appeared in the New York Times and on CNN, quoting unnamed sources.
Last week, Turkey accepted a Saudi proposal to form a joint working group to investigate Mr Khashoggi's disappearance. They said Saudi Arabia would acknowledge that Mr Khashoggi's death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong and the intention had been only to abduct him from Turkey.
On Sunday, the Saudi government angrily rejected political and economic "threats" over the case of the missing journalist and said it would respond to any punitive action "with a bigger one". This may explain in part Mr Trump's "rogue killers" line.
How was the consulate search conducted? Who such killers could be and how it fits into reports of a Saudi team being despatched to the consulate before Mr Khashoggi's arrival will presumably need to covered.
Investigators entered the building in Istanbul on Monday afternoon - a Saudi team first, followed roughly an hour later by Turkish forensic police. CNN said the Saudis may argue the operation was conducted without clearance and those responsible would be held accountable.
The Khashoggi family in Saudi Arabia issued a statement calling for an "independent and impartial international commission".
What happened with the consulate search?
For the first time since the journalist disappeared on 2 October, Turkish investigators were allowed to enter the building.
A Saudi team entered first on Monday, followed roughly an hour later by Turkish forensic police.
The Turkish investigators, some wearing overalls, gloves and covered shoes. stayed for about eight hours, leaving in the early hours of Tuesday.
They reportedly took with them samples, including of soil from the consulate garden.
Saudi Arabia agreed last week to allow Turkish officials to conduct a search but insisted it would only be a superficial "visual" inspection.Saudi Arabia agreed last week to allow Turkish officials to conduct a search but insisted it would only be a superficial "visual" inspection.
Turkey rejected that offer. The Sabah daily newspaper said investigators had wanted to search the building with luminol, a chemical which shows up any traces of blood. It is not clear whether that happened.Turkey rejected that offer. The Sabah daily newspaper said investigators had wanted to search the building with luminol, a chemical which shows up any traces of blood. It is not clear whether that happened.
Questions over crown princeQuestions over crown prince
By Frank Gardner, BBC NewsBy Frank Gardner, BBC News
Encouraged by the state-controlled media, many Saudis have been rallying round their leadership. There is even a popular rumour that what happened in Istanbul is all a plot by Qatar and Turkey to discredit the blameless Saudi kingdom.Encouraged by the state-controlled media, many Saudis have been rallying round their leadership. There is even a popular rumour that what happened in Istanbul is all a plot by Qatar and Turkey to discredit the blameless Saudi kingdom.
But privately, others are now questioning whether the 33-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the man once hailed as a visionary saviour of Saudi Arabia, has gone too far.But privately, others are now questioning whether the 33-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the man once hailed as a visionary saviour of Saudi Arabia, has gone too far.
He has pitched his country into a costly and seemingly unwinnable war in Yemen. He is embroiled in a damaging dispute with neighbouring Qatar. He has quarrelled with Canada over human rights, and he has locked up dozens for peaceful protest while alienating many in royal and business circles.He has pitched his country into a costly and seemingly unwinnable war in Yemen. He is embroiled in a damaging dispute with neighbouring Qatar. He has quarrelled with Canada over human rights, and he has locked up dozens for peaceful protest while alienating many in royal and business circles.
More conservative Saudis may well be hankering for quieter times.More conservative Saudis may well be hankering for quieter times.
Is this the end of Saudi prince's honeymoon?Is this the end of Saudi prince's honeymoon?
What allegedly happened in Istanbul?What allegedly happened in Istanbul?
Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government who has written for the Washington Post, was last seen walking into the consulate on 2 October.Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government who has written for the Washington Post, was last seen walking into the consulate on 2 October.
Reports suggest an assault and struggle took place in the consulate after Mr Khashoggi went to get paperwork for his forthcoming marriage.Reports suggest an assault and struggle took place in the consulate after Mr Khashoggi went to get paperwork for his forthcoming marriage.
Turkish sources allege he was killed by a 15-strong team of Saudi agents but Riyadh insists that he left the consulate unharmed.Turkish sources allege he was killed by a 15-strong team of Saudi agents but Riyadh insists that he left the consulate unharmed.
Mr Khashoggi was once an adviser to the Saudi royal family but fell out of favour with the Saudi government and went into self-imposed exile. He is a US resident.Mr Khashoggi was once an adviser to the Saudi royal family but fell out of favour with the Saudi government and went into self-imposed exile. He is a US resident.
What other reaction has there been? The Khashoggi case and business affairs
The European Union has joined calls for a transparent investigation. The controversy has affected a major investment conference, starting on 23 October in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, more leading business figures say they will not attend a major investment conference in Riyadh later this month. Some leading business figures have said they will not attend the conference, dubbed "Davos in the Desert", although the World Economic Forum says it has nothing to do with its annual event in the Swiss Alps.
The international conference, starting on 23 October, has been dubbed "Davos in the Desert", though the World Economic Forum says it has nothing to do with its annual event in the Swiss Alps.
Officially entitled the Future Finance Initiative, the Saudi conference describes itself as an "international platform for expert-led debate between investors, innovators and governments as well as economic leaders".Officially entitled the Future Finance Initiative, the Saudi conference describes itself as an "international platform for expert-led debate between investors, innovators and governments as well as economic leaders".
Significantly, it was expected to showcase the reform agenda of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Significantly, it was expected to showcase the reform agenda of the crown prince.