Rishi Sunak and Mohammed bin Salman speak and pledge to meet soon, Downing Street says, after reports that the Saudi leader had been invited to visit Britain.
The Times said the controversial crown prince was set to make his first trip to the UK since the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The Gulf state’s leader was accused of ordering the assassination of the Washington Post columnist at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He denies involvement.
Downing Street says in the pair’s call, Sunak “looked forward to personally deepening the long-standing ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia.”
“The prime minister and crown prince… looked forward to meeting in person at the earliest opportunity,” a statement reads.
Saudi Arabia is frequently criticized for its human rights record, particularly on capital punishment, but is trying to soften its image under a sweeping agenda of social and economic reform, dubbed “Vision 2030.”
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