PLANS for a Holyrood energy expert to boost exports to Saudi Arabia have been dropped over the Jamal Khashoggi case.
The Scottish Government it will no longer seek to appoint a trade specialist in light of the disappearance and reported death under torture of the journalist at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Saudi Arabia says he died after a fight broke out and 18 people have been arrested as it investigates the circumstances. However, Donald Trump has said he is “not satisfied” with the claim, with the EU and UN also calling for answers.
The post was to be funded by the Scottish Government, its agency Scottish Development International (SDI) and private sector agency Opportunity North East, along with others for India, Mexico, Malaysia and the US.
The Scottish Government said: “We share the widespread international concern following the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, and in light of those concerns SDI will not be proceeding with this particular appointment.”
Meanwhile, SNP MPs have gained the support of colleagues from all five main Westminster opposition parties in a joint letter calling on the UK Government to “condemn the reckless and barbaric behaviour of the Saudi government, immediately suspend the sale of arms to the regime for use in the war on Yemen ... halt all conventional UK military operations in the country and support every effort for an independent inquiry into the alleged murder of Jamal Khashoggi”.
On The Andrew Marr Show yesterday, UK Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said he did not find the Saudi claims “credible”, but added: “We are not going to throw our hands in the air and terminate our relationship with Saudi Arabia, not just because of the huge number of British jobs that depend on it but also because if you exert influence over your partners you need to be able to talk to them.”
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