Hariri backs Saudi Arabia in Khashoggi case
Measures taken ‘serves path of justice and disclosure of whole truth’
Beirut - Lebanon’s premier-designate Sa’ad Hariri threw his support behind Saudi Arabia Tuesday as it faces outrage over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate.
Hariri’s comments came less than a year after he resigned in mysterious circumstances in a televised address from the Saudi capital. “The measures taken by Saudi Arabia regarding the case of journalist Jamal Khashoggi... come within the framework that serves the path of justice and the disclosure of the whole truth,” a statement from his office quoted him as saying.
On Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir pledged a “thorough and complete” investigation into Khashoggi’s murder.
Hariri said the directives of “King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz would put things in the right direction and contribute to respond to the malicious campaigns targeting the kingdom”, the statement said.
Turkey has said the murder of Khashoggi was “savagely planned”, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament it was a “ferocious murder”.
Saudi Arabia has long been a key ally of Hariri, while Riyadh’s regional foe Iran backs Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.