The government of Saudi Arabia issued a statement condemning a recent U.S. Senate resolution blaming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and said the government rejects external interference in its affairs.
The Senate measure, which passed in a rare bipartisan vote with unanimous approval on Thursday, was a sweeping condemnation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and placed direct blame on the Prince for the death of Jamal Khashoggi.
The Senate’s position had been based on “unsubstantiated claims and allegations, and contained blatant interferences in the Kingdom’s internal affairs, undermining the Kingdom’s regional and international role,” a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.
“The Kingdom is keen on preserving its relations with the United States of America, and will continue to work towards improving these ties in all areas,” the Saudi government said.
The Kingdom also expressed concern about the positions held by senators of “an esteemed legislative body of an allied and friendly government, a government that the Kingdom, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince, holds at the highest regard, and with whom the Kingdom maintains deep strategic, political, economic, and security ties ” the statement read.
“The Kingdom also emphasizes that such a position will not affect its leading role in the region, in the Arab and Muslim worlds, and internationally. The Kingdom has and will continue to fulfill its pivotal role in the Arab and Muslim Worlds, as it holds a special place for Muslims around the world. Such a status has made the Kingdom a pillar of stability in the Middle East and the world, and a cornerstone for the efforts to achieve peace and security regionally and globally.”
The statement also said the “murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi is a deplorable crime that does not reflect the Kingdom’s policy nor its institutions. Accordingly, the Kingdom reaffirms its rejection of any attempts to take the case out of the path of justice in the Kingdom.”
Saudi Arabia also reaffirmed its commitment to build strong ties with the United States.
“The Kingdom is keen on preserving its relations with the United States of America, and will continue to work towards improving these ties in all areas. The Kingdom appreciates the prudent position taken by the United States Government and its institutions regarding the recent developments, as it realizes that this position by the US Senate sends the wrong messages to all those who want to cause a rift in Saudi-US relationship. The Kingdom hopes that it is not drawn into domestic political debates in the United States of America, to avoid any ramifications on the ties between the two countries that could have significant negative impacts on this important strategic relationship,” said the statement.
