News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
23
o
Mount Lebanon
25
o
Metn
24
o
Keserwan
24
o
North
26
o
South
23
o
Bekaa
26
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
Morning Talk
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
23
o
Mount Lebanon
25
o
Metn
24
o
Keserwan
24
o
North
26
o
South
23
o
Bekaa
26
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
France sends mixed signals over Saudi ties after Khashoggi affair
Author:
Rita Khoury
Breaking Headlines
2018-10-18 | 03:18
High views
Share
Share
France sends mixed signals over Saudi ties after Khashoggi affair
Watch now
More details about online video viewing packages
4
min
France sends mixed signals over Saudi ties after Khashoggi affair
France pulled its finance minister out of a Saudi investment conference on Thursday in response to the unexplained disappearance of a journalist but voiced confidence that relations between the allies would not be hurt.
Turkey says Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who was critical of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, was killed by Saudi agents in Riyadh's diplomatic mission in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and his body cut up. Saudi Arabia denies the allegation.
Paris and Riyadh enjoy close diplomatic and commercial relations spanning energy, finance and weapons. But France, which considers Riyadh a bulwark against Iranian influence in the Middle East, now faces a delicate balancing act in its response to the incident.
President Emmanuel Macron last Friday sought to downplay the importance of relations with Riyadh, saying the kingdom was not a major client of France. But Defense Minister Florence Parly told lawmakers on Wednesday that arms sales to Saudi were crucial for French jobs.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire added his name to a growing list of government ministers, prominent business executives and leaders of international institutions who have cancelled their attendance at a high-profile Saudi investment conference due to unease over Khashoggi's disappearance.
"No, I will not be going. The allegations are serious"." Le Maire told Public Senat TV.
Saudi authorities needed to explain what had happened to Khashoggi after he went to the Saudi consulate, the last time he was seen in public, he said.
When asked if the move might jeopardize relations between the two countries, Le Maire replied: "Absolutely not."
ARMS SALES
Saudi Arabia is France's largest market in the Middle East, even without arms sales. French exports to the Gulf nation were totaled almost 4 billion euros ($4.61 billion) between September 2017 to August 2018, according to economy ministry data.
That figure does not include deals with French firms worth $12 billion that Saudi state-oil giant Aramco's announced in April, including a $5 billion petrochemicals complex with oil giant Total.
French defense ministry data shows that from 2008 to 2017, Saudi Arabia was the second biggest purchaser of French arms, with deals totaling more than 11 billion euros ($12.67 billion). In 2017 alone, licenses potentially worth 14.7 billion euros to Saudi were approved.
"Our industrial and defense base increasingly needs these weapons' exports," Parly told a Senate hearing on Wednesday. "We can not totally ignore the impact that all this has on our defense industries and our jobs."
Macron has shied away from publicly criticizing Crown Prince Mohammad despite international concerns over a crackdown on dissidents and unease over the high number of civilian casualties from Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen.
However, in talks with humanitarian groups in September, Macron said he was skeptical of Prince Mohammad's social reform agenda.
REUTERS
To watch the full report, please click on the video above.
Breaking Headlines
France
Saudi Arabia
Journalist
Next
Grand Mufti Derian travels to Saudi Arabia for Hajj
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Shelling from Lebanon hits Western Galilee: Israeli Channel 12 reports
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Shelling from Lebanon hits Western Galilee: Israeli Channel 12 reports
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
Press Highlights
2023-09-05
Calls for Transparency: New tax provision in 2024 Budget raises concerns
Press Highlights
2023-09-05
Calls for Transparency: New tax provision in 2024 Budget raises concerns
0
News Bulletin Reports
2024-04-27
Gaps in Attendance Overshadow Lebanese Forces Opposition Meeting in Maarab
News Bulletin Reports
2024-04-27
Gaps in Attendance Overshadow Lebanese Forces Opposition Meeting in Maarab
0
Middle East News
2024-04-26
Al Jazeera, citing Yedioth Ahronoth: National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's car overturns in a traffic accident near stabbing attack scene in Ramla
Middle East News
2024-04-26
Al Jazeera, citing Yedioth Ahronoth: National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's car overturns in a traffic accident near stabbing attack scene in Ramla
0
Lebanon News
2023-08-04
Enhancing Arab-Arab action: Lebanon's Agriculture Minister heads to Syria
Lebanon News
2023-08-04
Enhancing Arab-Arab action: Lebanon's Agriculture Minister heads to Syria
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
0
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
0
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
0
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
News Bulletin Reports
12:25
France's diplomatic efforts: Calming the Lebanese-Israeli border
News Bulletin Reports
12:25
France's diplomatic efforts: Calming the Lebanese-Israeli border
2
Lebanon News
07:17
Berri to Séjourné: Lebanon is committed to implementing Resolution 1701
Lebanon News
07:17
Berri to Séjourné: Lebanon is committed to implementing Resolution 1701
3
Israel-Gaza War Updates
06:03
Hamas official: Hamas delegation to visit Cairo on Monday for Gaza ceasefire talks
Israel-Gaza War Updates
06:03
Hamas official: Hamas delegation to visit Cairo on Monday for Gaza ceasefire talks
4
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:53
Hamas official to AFP: 'No major issues' in movement's comments on ceasefire proposal
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:53
Hamas official to AFP: 'No major issues' in movement's comments on ceasefire proposal
5
Israel-Gaza War Updates
05:49
Gaza Health Ministry: 34,454 Palestinians killed in Israeli attack since Oct. 7
Israel-Gaza War Updates
05:49
Gaza Health Ministry: 34,454 Palestinians killed in Israeli attack since Oct. 7
6
News Bulletin Reports
12:28
Voicing solidarity: Wave of pro-Palestinian student protests sweeps across US universities
News Bulletin Reports
12:28
Voicing solidarity: Wave of pro-Palestinian student protests sweeps across US universities
7
Israel-Gaza War Updates
12:21
World Central Kitchen to resume Gaza aid after staff deaths in Israeli strike
Israel-Gaza War Updates
12:21
World Central Kitchen to resume Gaza aid after staff deaths in Israeli strike
8
Lebanon News
03:53
Bilal Abdallah to LBCI: No significant Western action to curb Israeli aggression in south Lebanon
Lebanon News
03:53
Bilal Abdallah to LBCI: No significant Western action to curb Israeli aggression in south Lebanon
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More