Speaking in Riyadh at the Future Investment Initiative conference, nicknamed “Davos in the Desert”, the prince who is widely-believed to have ordered the murder, demanded 'all culprits in the Khashoggi murder should be punished'.

Middle East/ According to an Iran Press report, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, stressed that he won't allow a rift to develop between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, because of the Khashoggi affair. 

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has broken a three-week public silence over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, describing the journalist’s murder as a “heinous crime that cannot be justified”.

Sitting alongside Lebanese prime minister, Saad Hariri on the stage, the Saudi crown prince tried to crack a joke by saying: “Saad Hariri will be here for two more days. Don’t let anyone say he’s been kidnapped.”

Without a hint of irony Mohammed bin Salman declared: "All culprits connected to the murder should be punished, and justice should prevail."

It is worth noting that members of Mohammed bin Salman’s security staff are among those named by Turkish authorities as having carried out the killing of Khashoggi.

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Bin Salman also announced a restructuring of the kingdom’s national security agencies and said Saudi Arabia and Turkey would work together “to reach results”.

“The incident that happened is very painful, for all Saudis … The incident is not justifiable,” he said. “They will not be able to divide us as long as there is a king called King Salman bin Abdulaziz and a president in Turkey named Erdo?an.”

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The Saudi crown prince also appealed to the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, as a partner.

On Tuesday, Erdo?an directly accused some of the 'highest ranked Saudis' of ordering Khashoggi's murder in the Turkish parliament, but avoided mentioning Mohammad Bin Salman by name.

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