Malta did not have any contacts with Saudi Arabia over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and did not take a position beyond the EU’s common stance, Foreign Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said.

“We align ourselves with the EU’s position, which not only condemns what happened but insists that the full truth emerges on who was involved in the journalist’s murder,” Mr Abela told Times of Malta.

Asked whether he foresaw any change to Malta’s relations with Saudi Arabia following the murder, the minister replied he believed in maintaining open communication with all countries.

“I’m a firm believer in dialogue and any problems or challenges should be resolved through talks, not other means,” Mr Abela added. He was speaking following a meeting with Algerian Energy Minister Mustapha Guitoni.

Mr Abela last met a Saudi government minister in May, when he had praised the country for its “unprecedented” political, economic and social reforms and expressed hope the already “excellent” relations between the two countries could be improved further.

We align ourselves with the EU’s position

Saudi Arabia has been under consistent pressure from the international community ever since Mr Khashoggi, an open critic of the Saudi regime who had fled the country in 2017, entered the country’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and never exited. Saudi authorities subsequently admitted he had been killed inside the consulate. The US Senate and the CIA have said it was Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman who ordered the killing.

The EU has called for a “thorough, credible and transparent investigation into the murder… to shed full clarity on the circumstances surrounding this horrendous crime as well as to ensure accountability for all those responsible for it.”

A travel ban has been imposed on 18 Saudi individuals implicated in the killing and Germany has also stopped arms sales to the country. France, Canada and the US have imposed sanctions on Saudi individuals they believe were linked to the assassination. The UK said it is drawing up a list of individuals who might be subjected to sanctions.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister last week accused European countries of ignoring the murder and “closing their eyes” to freedom of the press, calling on them to take further action against Saudi Arabia.

Earlier in the week, NGO Reporters Without Borders said violence against journalists had registered a “disturbing increase” in 2018. At least 63 professional journalists around the world were killed while doing their jobs this year, the NGO noted.

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