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IMF chief ‘horrified’ by Khashoggi case, still plans Saudi trip
NUSA DUA, Indonesia, Oct 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – IMF chief Christine Lagarde said
Saturday she was “horrified” by reports about the fate of Saudi dissident
Jamal Khashoggi but still plans to attend an economic meeting in Riyadh this
month.
As questions swirl over the fate of Khashoggi — a Saudi critic who has not
been seen since he walked into the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on October
2 — some big business names and media outlets have pulled out of the
Kingdom’s second Future Investment Initiative.
But Lagarde said her plans were unchanged for now, despite international
uproar over the case.
“Human rights, freedom of information are essential rights and horrifying
things have been reported and I am horrified,” she told reporters in Bali
where the IMF is holding annual meetings.
“But I have to conduct the business of the IMF in all corners in the world
and with many governments.”
“When I visit a country, I always speak my mind… So at this point of time
my intention is to not change my plans and to be very attentive to the
information that is coming out in the next few days.”
Her comments came shortly after US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said
he also still planned to attend the October 23-25 meeting, dubbed “Davos in
the Desert”.
“The answer is for now I am” still going, Mnuchin said.
“If more information comes out over the next week, I will obviously take
that into account.”
“Obviously I want to express concern for Mr. Khashoggi and his family,” he
added.
“We look forward to getting results of this investigation.”
Riyadh on Saturday dismissed accusations that authorities there had ordered
Khashoggi be murdered by a hit squad inside its Istanbul consulate as “lies
and baseless allegations”.
But the row has intensified with the Washington Post reporting that Turkish
officials have recordings made from inside the building that allegedly prove
their claims Khashoggi was tortured and killed at the consulate.
Bloomberg, the Financial Times, The Economist and The New York Times have
withdrawn as media sponsors from the event amid questions about the missing
man’s fate.
The CEO of ride-hailing app Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, said that he will no
longer be attending the event unless “a substantially different set of facts
emerges”.
British entrepreneur Richard Branson said he would suspend two
directorships linked to tourism projects in Saudi Arabia over the issue.
Amnesty International demanded the Saudi authorities reveal what happened
to Khashoggi as it said Riyadh was “responsible at a minimum for enforced
disappearance”.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1158 hrs