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Khashoggi killing: Saudi prosecutor meets Istanbul counterpart, HSBC chief says killing ‘unlikely’ to impact trade, investment

image courtesy: new york post

The Saudi public prosecutor leading the investigation into Saudi dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi‘s death met Istanbul’s chief prosecutor at the city’s court house on Monday, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.

Khashoggi entered the building on October 2 to obtain documentation certifying he had divorced his ex-wife. He was not seen since.

Saudi Arabia has said the Saudi critic died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate – after two weeks of consistent denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance.

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Turkish media have reported Khashoggi was killed and dismembered based on recordings from the consulate. They say he died at the hands of a 15-member assassination squad from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb had arrived in overnight in Istanbul, to meet Irfan Fidan, the city’s chief public prosecutor, to discuss the latest findings in the Khashoggi case, Anadolu news agency reported.

The meeting between the prosecutors reportedly lasted about 75 minutes, but no information was released in regards to what was discussed.

Shortly after the meeting ended, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Saudi and Turkish prosecutors sharing information will be useful and that Saudi Arabia should conclude the investigation into Khashoggi’s killing as soon as possible.

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Meanwhile, HSBC’s Chief Executive, John Flint, said Saudi Arabia is unlikely to see any significant impact on its trade and investment flows following Khashoggi’s killing.

Speaking to Reuters news agency on Monday, Flint acknowledged that the case had damaged the kingdom’s reputation internationally, but that any negative feeling will likely not be reflected in trade.

“It has been a difficult few weeks for the kingdom, this has not been good for Saudi Arabia.

“I understand the emotion around the story, but it is very difficult to think about disengaging from Saudi Arabia given its importance to global energy markets,” he said.

Moreover, Turkish investigators looking into Khashoggi’s killing will present Saudi Arabia’s top prosecutor with a 150-page dossier and request another joint search at the residence of the kingdom’s consul-general in Istanbul, Al-Jazeera reported, citing a source.

ALSO READ: Khashoggi killing: Iranian President says ‘Saudi’s heinous crime impossible without US support’

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