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JP Morgan, Ford execs drops out of Saudi meet: report
WASHINGTON, Oct 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – JP Morgan CEO James Dimon and Ford
chairman Bill Ford will not attend a major investment conference in Riyadh
following the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, CNBC
reported Sunday.
Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and US permanent resident whose
writings have been critical of powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman, has been missing since entering the country’s consulate in Istanbul
on October 2.
Dimon and Ford join a growing list of cancellations for next week’s Future
Investment Initiative, a marquee event for the kingdom.
Business barons including British billionaire Richard Branson and Uber CEO
Dara Khosrowshahi, as well as media powerhouses like Bloomberg and CNN, have
all pulled out.
Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi was killed inside the
consulate, but Saudi Arabia insists he left the building safely.
US President Donald Trump has threatened Saudi Arabia “severe punishment”
if Khashoggi was in fact killed, and Riyadh has vowed to hit back against any
punitive measures.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0821 hrs