Biden Talks Khashoggi's Death With Saudi Crown Prince: US President Can't Keep Quiet About Human Rights

JAKARTA - President Joe Biden met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). And one of the topics of conversation was the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

US President Joe Biden said he raised the topic of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the summit of a meeting with senior Saudi officials. And one of the participants is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.

Spoke to reporters on Friday 15 July afternoon. Biden said he also discussed human rights and the need for political reform.

“As I always do, I made it clear that the topic [of human rights] is very important to me and the United States,” Biden said.

Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. https://t.co/ZZIgRPap79

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 15, 2022

"With regards to the killing of Khashoggi, I raised it at the summit of the meeting, making it clear what I was thinking at the time, and when I think about it now," Biden continued, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Biden says a US president can't keep quiet about human rights

Biden was criticized earlier in the day for greeting the Saudi crown prince (MBS) - who US intelligence agencies say was responsible for the killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 - with a hard smack when he arrived for the meeting.