Germany Hardening Line on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi Case

A government spokesman, who asked not to be named, told Anadolu Agency that Germany was increasingly concerned over the case as many questions remained unanswered almost a month after Khashoggi's disappearance.

“We are now following very closely whether Saudi Arabia is endeavoring to ensure transparency in the clarification of the case and to hold to account those responsible. In light of this development, we are ready to take appropriate action with our international partners,” he said, referring to widespread calls for sanctions against Riyadh.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman last week and called for a rapid, transparent and credible investigation, stressing that all those responsible must be held accountable.

“This appeal to Saudi Arabia remains valid. Saudi Arabia has committed itself to this in several public statements and must now be measured by these statements,” the spokesman added.

The German government has also praised Turkey’s efforts to unravel the truth since Khashoggi's disappearance.

“The work of the Turkish authorities has played a major role in the investigation of the case to date. The federal government supports all efforts to clarify this case completely,” he stressed.

Merkel had vowed again to halt all German arms exports to Saudi Arabia until the killing of Khashoggi was explained.

“It is necessary to clarify the background of this horrible incident,” she said in Prague during a news conference with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, adding that “and if that does not happen, we will not deliver any arms to Saudia Arabia".

Earlier, Merkel had stated that the killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate is a "monstrosity", adding that Berlin will not sell arms to Riyadh while the issue remains unclear.

"It must be cleared up. As long as it's not cleared up, there will be no arms exports to Saudi Arabia. I assure you of that very decidedly," Merkel stated during a campaign rally in Ortenberg.

Germany has urged other EU states to follow its example of ending arms exports to Saudi Arabia so long as uncertainty remains over what exactly happened to Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, known for his criticism of Saudi Arabia's policies, went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain a marriage document. Ankara has accused Riyadh of murdering the Khashoggi and smuggling his body out of the consulate in pieces. Saudi Arabia first denied the charges as “baseless", stressing that the journalist left the consulate shortly after he arrived, without providing any evidence.

But, after two weeks of denial by Saudi officials, Riyadh confessed that Khashoggi had been murdered by its security agents at the Istanbul consulate, but made no mention of where his body is. It also sacked a top general and arrested several people.

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