Khashoggi murder: Storm clouds gather over Turkish-Saudi ties
Whatever fate awaits Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara’s already frosty relationship with Riyadh will continue to be clouded by this affair for the foreseeable future.
Turkey’s determination to go all the way to force Saudi Arabia to come clean over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is pointing to a serious crisis in the making between the two countries.
This crisis, which could have regional implications for Turkey, seems unavoidable since Ankara’s accusations ultimately target Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, commonly referred to by his initials, MBS.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government have no affection for the crown prince, who earlier this year characterized Turkey as a member of a regional “triangle of evil.”
To underline its sense of purpose over this murder, Ankara has spelled out that it will not let economic considerations with Saudi Arabia overshadow the need to secure justice for Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul Oct. 2.
