Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has embarked on a three-nation Asian tour with the aim of demonstrating he is welcome in the east if not in some western capitals. Bin Salman has been cold-shouldered by European but not US leaders following the brutal murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul last October. Riyadh and Islamabad signed contracts valued at more than $20 billion (€17.6 billion) and the crown prince promised that economic co-operation between their countries would “grow every month, every year”. India’s prime minister Narendra Modi, however, has no choice but to warmly welcome the crown prince. Later in the week Bin Salman will visit China, the largest importer of Saudi oil and gas, to conclude development and trade deals.

Source: The Irish Times February 18, 2019 21:45 UTC