France denies receiving Khashoggi tapes from Turkey and accuses Erdogan of playing games

President Erdogan claimed tapes related to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi had been handed to France and several other countries. (File/AFP)
Updated 12 November 2018
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France denies receiving Khashoggi tapes from Turkey and accuses Erdogan of playing games

  • Erdogan on Saturday said France, Germany and Britain had been handed the tapes
  • Le Drian said Erdogan has a 'political game to play in these circumstances'

LONDON: France on Monday denied being in possession of recordings related to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and accused Turkey of playing political games with the case.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that France, Germany and Britain had been handed the tapes, but French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said this was not the case, as far as he knew.

“If the Turkish president has information to give to us, he must give it to us,” Le Drian told French TV. “That means he has a political game in this situation.” 

Khashoggi, a Saudi national living in the United States, was killed in the Kingdom’s Istanbul consulate last month.

Saudi Arabia said the 59-year-old had been murdered at the mission in a “rogue” operation by people operating beyond their authority. Eighteen Saudis have been arrested in connection with his death.


Saudi Arabia announces new financial support to the Yemeni government

Updated 16 January 2026
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Saudi Arabia announces new financial support to the Yemeni government

RIYADH: Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and Supervisor of the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber announced that the Kingdom, under the directives of its leadership, has provided new support to the Yemeni government's budget, aimed at paying the salaries of state employees in all sectors.

In a post on X, Al-Jaber stated that this support complements a package of development projects and initiatives, amounting to SR1.9 billion, announced on Wednesday. The package includes provision of necessary petroleum derivatives to operate power plants, which will contribute to improving the living standards of people in Yemen and alleviating daily burdens on them.

Al-Jaber’s post emphasized, in particular, that all salaries of military and security forces linked to the the higher military committee linked to the Saudi led Coalition will be paid as of Sunday. 

 

The post is likely relate to Several Media reports which have suggested that disgraced former Southern Transitional Council (STC) chief Aidaroos Al Zubaidi — who has now fled Yemen — was taking advantage of military personnel and withholding salaries as means of pressure. Al-Zubaidi is wanted by the Yemeni government for acts of high treason and corruption. 

The ambassador emphasized that these steps come within the framework of supporting the Yemeni government's efforts to implement the economic reform program, which aims to achieve financial and economic stability and enhance the state's ability to meet its basic obligations.