Macron arrives in Saudi Arabia for talks with Mohammed bin Salman

RIYADH, Dec. 04 (YPA) – French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Saudi Arabia Saturday morning for direct talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

As part of the tour, the first visit by a senior Western leader to the kingdom since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

A business delegation of about 100 companies, including Total Energy, EDF, Tallis and Vivendi, is scheduled to participate in an investment forum.

Speaking to reporters in Dubai, Macron rejected accusations that he was legitimizing the crown prince, adding that the region’s multiple crises could not be addressed by ignoring the kingdom.

“We can decide after the Khashoggi case that we don’t have politics in the region, an option that some can defend, but I think France has an important role to play in the region. That doesn’t mean we’re complicit or we forget,” he explained.

E.M