Trump pressured to suspend nuclear talks with Saudi
US President Donald Trump has been urged to suspend nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia after the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump received a letter Wednesday from five Republican lawmakers, led by Senator Marco Rubio, in the wake of “ongoing revelations about the murder.”
“The ongoing revelations about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as certain Saudi actions related to Yemen and Lebanon, have raised further serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decision makers in Saudi Arabia,” wrote the senators, also including - Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, Dean Heller and Todd Young.
The lawmakers asserted that they could use the Atomic Energy Act to block any US-Saudi nuclear agreements.
“We therefore request that you suspend any related negotiations for a US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement for the foreseeable future,” wrote the lawmakers.
The statement was released in the aftermath of the killing of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Turkish intelligence intercepts reportedly show that Khashoggi, who was last seen entering the Saudi mission in Istanbul on October 2, was tortured and murdered on a direct order from Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
Democratic Senator Edward Markey himself wrote a separate letter to Trump, urging him to revoke any approvals for the transfer of nuclear services, technology or assistance to the monarchy.
He further noted that nuclear talks should be based on the country’s attitude and Saudi Arabia’s actions “have made it clear that any nuclear cooperation with its government does not currently meet that bar.”
Saudis are also engaged in the incessant bombing of impoverished Yemen since March 2015.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis called Tuesday for a cessation of hostilities in Yemen.
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