Rishi Sunak confirms plans to meet Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman
Rishi Sunak has confirmed he plans to meet the controversial crown prince of Saudi Arabia at the “earliest opportunity” to discuss improved relations – as Labour said they were not opposed to the invitation.
The Prime Minister spoke to Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, telling him he “looked forward to personally deepening the long-standing ties” between the two countries.
Number 10 faced criticism from the Liberal Democrats and the charity Amnesty International over a potential visit by the Gulf state’s prime minister later this year.
It would be his first trip to Britain since the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi five years ago.
But Labour said they would not oppose the visit, because they believe it is right to have a dialogue with all countries – even with governments with which they disagree.
The party said they would follow that principle in government, adding that they expect Mr Sunak to raise any human-rights abuses at any meeting.
Dialogue is important
Speaking in Scotland, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “It’s important as part of that visit that the Prime Minister speaks to him about the human-rights issues where he had real, deep concerns about that but you also have to have dialogue.
“It’s important that while he’s over here that there’s dialogue there and that we do challenge – part of our role internationally is to challenge other nations as well and say ‘look this is not what we accept and this is not how you do things’ and to try and influence in that way.
“If you don’t then you don’t have any influence whatsoever, so I think it’s important that while he’s over here on this visit that the Prime Minister does have a conversation with him about human rights and how this [the death of Jamal Khashoggi] was completely unacceptable.”
The crown prince has been accused of ordering the assassination of the Washington Post writer at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, although he denied any involvement and blamed rogue agents.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said Mr Sunak “welcomed the opportunity to speak to the Crown Prince and looked forward to personally deepening the long-standing ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia”.
They added: “The Prime Minister and Crown Prince said they would continue working closely together to progress UK-Saudi co-operation and looked forward to meeting in person at the earliest opportunity.”
No visit has been confirmed by Downing Street and it is not believed that a date has been finalised.
Dismal human-rights record
Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson, said: “It beggars belief that Rishi Sunak is rolling out the red carpet for Mohammed bin Salman.
“This man presides over a dismal human-rights record – should not be receiving a warm welcome from the UK government.
“It sends a signal to MBS [Mohammed bin Salman] that he can continue acting with impunity and we and our allies will do nothing about it.”
Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UK’s foreign policy adviser, said: “The visit looks set to coincide with the five-year anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s sickening assassination and dismemberment at the hands of Saudi agents in Turkey, a crime which has essentially been covered up by the unrepentant Saudi authorities.
“Mohammed bin Salman and his Government must be properly held to account for abuses by Saudi officials, including Khashoggi’s murder, the widespread use of torture in Saudi jails and the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Yemen.”
