APA – Saudi Arabia rejected a report submitted to the US Congress regarding the murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi, according to a foreign ministry statement Friday, APA reports quoting Anadolu Agency.
The statement said the Kingdom’s government completely rejects the negative, false and unacceptable assessment in the report about Saudi Arabian leadership, and notes that the report contained inaccurate information and conclusions.
“The Ministry reiterates what was previously announced by the relevant authorities in the Kingdom, that this was an abhorrent crime and a flagrant violation of the Kingdom’s laws and values. This crime was committed by a group of individuals that have transgressed all pertinent regulations and authorities of the agencies where they were employed,” the statement said.
It emphasized that relevant authorities in the Kingdom took all possible measures within the legal system to ensure that the individuals were investigated and to ensure that justice was served.
It said the concerned individuals were convicted and sentenced by the courts in the Kingdom and sentences were welcomed by Khashoggi’s family.
“It is truly unfortunate that this report, with its unjustified and inaccurate conclusions, is issued while the Kingdom had clearly denounced this heinous crime, and the Kingdom’s leadership took the necessary steps to ensure that such a tragedy never takes place again. The Kingdom rejects any measure that infringes upon its leadership, sovereignty, and the independence of its judicial system,” it said.
The ministry stressed that the partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US is a robust and enduring partnership and said it has thrived for nearly eight decades on the basis of mutual respect, and the institutions in both countries have worked diligently to deepen these ties in all aspects, through increased cooperation and consultations to bolster security and stability in the region and the world.
“We look forward to maintaining the enduring foundations that have shaped the framework of the resilient strategic partnership between the Kingdom and the United States,” it said.
