WASHINGTON 23 Nov (ANA) - US President Donald Trump has said the CIA did not conclude that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

 

Khashoggi was killed on 2 October in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

 

US officials have reportedly said that such an operation would have needed the prince's approval. But Saudi Arabia maintains it was a "rogue operation".

 

"They didn't conclude," Mr Trump said when asked about the CIA's reported evaluation by reporters in Florida.

 

His comments on Thursday came as the Saudi crown prince began a regional tour of the Middle East, starting with the United Arab Emirates - his first official trip abroad since Khashoggi was killed.

 

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed, tweeted to say the UAE "will always be a loving and supportive home for our brothers in Saudi Arabia".

 

The Saudi crown prince is also expected to participate in a G20 meeting of world leaders in Buenos Aires at the end of the month that will be attended by leaders from the US, Turkey and a number of European countries.

 

Meanwhile, France has announced that it is imposing sanctions on 18 Saudi nationals - the same individuals targeted with sanctions by the US, UK and Germany - allegedly linked to the Khashoggi murder.

 

Their list of individuals does not include the crown prince, a spokesperson for the French ministry of foreign affairs said.(ANA)

FA/ANA/23 November 2018-------