RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has told US President Joe Biden that what happened with Saudi citizen and journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, was ‘regrettable,’ during a meeting in Jeddah on Friday.
A senior Saudi official in attendance noted that the meeting between the prince and president was scheduled for an hour and a half but lasted for three, touching on a number of common issues.
The crown prince reminded Biden that while the two countries share some values, there would always be conflicting matters that must be respected nonetheless.
“If we assume that the US will deal only with countries that share 100 percent of its values and principles, then it will have no countries that deal with it except NATO countries,” he said, adding the two countries must coexist despite their differences.
This came during a discussion about the Jamal Khashoggi case, which was brought up briefly by the US president.
Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi’s death was “regrettable,” said the crown prince, confirming that the Kingdom had undertaken all the legal procedures.
Further procedures to prevent future mistakes were also put in place.
The source said that Prince Mohammed bin Salman noted that such incidents occured all over the world, and that journalists were killed elsewhere that same year.
The crown prince was cited as saying it was counterproductive to try to impose values by force, as was demonstrated in Iraq and Afghanistan – something the US has not succeeded he added.
The survivors of an entire family killed by a drone strike in Afghanistan in August 2021 is still waiting for justice, the prince added.
And he cited the US’ involvement in Abu Ghuraib as an example. He also referred to the killing of the US journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, questioning the measures taken by her government and other countries of the world.
