Aug. 17 (UPI) — Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, has been extended an invitation by the British government to visit, according to reports.
This visit would mark Mohammed bin Salman’s first visit to the UK since the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018.
Mohammed bin Salman, commonly known as MBS, holds significant power as the de facto ruler of the world’s largest oil exporter. Despite allegations of his involvement in ordering Khashoggi’s assassination, MBS has managed to largely evade consequences. The U.S. intelligence community and the United Nations believe he played a role in the murder, though he denies any involvement.
The likelihood of this visit was reported by the BBC, citing the Saudi Arabian embassy in London, and Sky News, citing unnamed British officials. Both governments anticipate the visit to take place in the first half of October.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had a conversation with Mohammed bin Salman earlier on Thursday, which preceded the news of the possible visit. In a statement from Sunak’s office, it was expressed that the prime minister looks forward to meeting MBS in person as soon as possible.
“He 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, as the Kingdom continues to go through a period of profound social and economic transformation under Vision 2030,” said 10 Downing, the official residence and office of the prime minister.
“The leaders discussed their commitment to further develop our trade and investment relationship, including by collaborating in new cutting-edge industries, and to strengthen our close cooperation on defense and security.”
During the call, Sunak also reassured Saudi Arabia of Britain’s “long-standing commitment” to supporting the country’s security and regional stability.
In its readout of the call, the Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that the crown prince emphasized Saudi Arabia’s dedication to contributing to peace, stability, and finding a political solution to the Ukrainian-Russian crisis.
In June, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, where both leaders agreed to collaborate on combating terrorism in the Middle East. Blinken is said to have pressured MBS for greater progress on human rights.
Britain, the United States, and Saudi Arabia have all sought a plan of action for stability in Yemen, a topic discussed during these meetings.
