From the ranks of the United Nation, there is criticism of the Dutch Queen Maxima for her meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan.
It was „more than disappointing“ that Maxima apparently did not address the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at their meeting, UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard said.
„It’s one thing to meet this man. And it is something else to silence, „Callamard told the Dutch newspaper“ Algemeen Dagblad „(Saturday edition). Callamard had submitted a report to the UN in mid-June.
It said there was evidence that Bin Salman and high-ranking officials from his country were behind the murder of the anti-government journalist in October 2018 in the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul.
Even politicians criticize royal house
Before Callamard Dutch politicians had criticized the royal house, which is rather rare. „Whoever allowed this interview between Maxima and the Saudi Crown Prince knows nothing about diplomacy, much less good public relations,“ tweeted Sjoerd Sjoerdsma of ruling party D-66.
The Dutch royal family has so far not been reached for comment. However, Dutch media reported that the royal family had said it was obligatory for the queen to meet with the crown prince as Saudi Arabia hosted the next G20 meeting. Maxima spoke at the G20 meeting in Japan about the participation of women.
Khashoggi had disappeared in early October, when he wanted to pick up documents in the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul. Only after much hesitation did the country acknowledge that Khashoggi had been killed. His body remains gone.
Saudi Arabia denies involvement of the Crown Prince in action. The murder triggered outrage worldwide. Germany suspended arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
