By Omer Aydin
PARIS (AA) – France on Wednesday pledged to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia if Riyadh's role in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is proven.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Paris, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said France has been closely following developments concerning the killing.
If French intelligence confirms the role of Saudi Arabia in the killing, France will not only limit arms sales but will also impose sanctions on the country, Griveaux warned.
He stressed that Paris will not take any decision until the facts are clearly established.
Last week, the French Foreign Ministry “strongly” condemned the killing of Saudi journalist Khashoggi in a written statement.
It also canceled a planned trip by Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to attend an economic conference.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had been missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After weeks of denying involvement in his disappearance, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi had died in a fight inside the consulate.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's killing was “premeditated. “
