Saudi interior minister slams "false accusations" on Khashoggi’s disappearance

Saudi Arabia's minister of interior, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, on Saturday denounced the "false accusations" being circulated in some media outlets linking the Saudi government and people to the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

News reports about orders to kill Khashoggi "are lies and baseless allegations", the minister said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

He said the government of Saudi Arabia is "committed to its principles, rules and traditions and is in compliance with international laws and conventions."

Prince Abdulaziz noted that Saudi Arabia and Turkey have agree to conduct a joint investigation and it is important for the media to report only the facts and "not to affect the paths of investigation and judicial proceedings."

"He also stressed the Kingdom's keenness on the interest of its citizens at home and abroad and its keenness in particular to clarify the whole truth about the disappearance of the citizen Jamal Khashoggi," the SPA report said.

Khashoggi, a Saudi national and journalist who had been based in the US, has been missing since Oct. 2, when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to secure divorce papers.

Turkey said on Thursday it had accepted a proposal from Saudi Arabia to cooperate on the investigation.

A security delegation consisting of Saudi investigators arrived in Istanbul on Saturday to participate in the investigations.