Theresa May promises to deliver 'robust' message to Saudi Prince over Khashoggi and Yemen at G20 summit
Theresa May vowed to be “robust” when she meets with the Saudi Crown Prince to discuss the Jamal Khashoggi murder and war in Yemen at the G20 summit.
The Prime Minister is set for a meeting with Mohammed bin Salman in Argentina on Friday.
She has faced calls to halt arm sales to Saudi Arabia following outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Speaking to Sky News ahead of the meeting, Mrs May said: "I am going to speak to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia but it is the relationship we have with Saudi Arabia that enables me to sit down with him and be robust on our views on two issues.”
She said: "First of all the terrible killing of Jamal Khashoggi, and the message I will be giving and the message we have given from the UK from the time it happened is that the Saudi Arabians need to ensure that their investigation is a full investigation, that it is credible, that it is transparent and that people can have confidence in the outcome of it and that those responsible are held to account.
"But I will also be raising the situation in the Yemen where the humanitarian crisis is getting worse, we are very concerned about that.”
The PM commented on the UK being a major donor to Yemen and the desire to find a “political solution” to the situation there. She expressed her encouragement for UN-led talks.
A Saudi-led coalition is fighting Houthi rebels in the territory.
In regards to Mr Khashoggi, the UK has issued demands for a transparent and credible investigation into his death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, though the country has denied any involvement by the royal family.
Ahead of meeting with the Crown Prince, Mrs May will hold talks with the summit's host, President Mauricio Macri.
At this, the long-standing argument over the sovereignty of the Falklands is likely to be overshadowed by discussions on trade.
She has also mentioned the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, following the latter detaining three of the formers ships and their crews last weekend.
Regarding the dispute, sparked by the Ukrainian boats entering the Kerch Strait, Mrs May said: “Our message to Russia is very clear.
"They should release the ships and sailors and de-escalate the situation.”
However, she is not expected to have one-on-one talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin at the summit.
Mrs May is the first Conservative Prime Minister to visit Argentina since the 1982 war.
She is also only the second serving PM to do so, after Tony Blair briefly crossed the border from Brazil in 2001.
