Indonesia calls for "transparent and thorough" probe of Khashoggi killing

By Agustinus Beo Da Costa

BOGOR, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for a "transparent and thorough" investigation of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a meeting on Monday with Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, the foreign minister of the Asian nation said.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, maintains close ties with Saudi Arabia and has "expressed concern" over the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which the kingdom initially denied for weeks.

Khashoggi's killing has drawn international criticism, prompting the kingdom on Sunday to describe it as a "huge and grave mistake", while adding that crown prince Mohammed bin Salman had not been aware of the case.

"Indonesia hopes the investigation being carried out is transparent and thorough," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters after Widodo's meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, which she attended.

The two met at the presidential palace on the outskirts of Jakarta, the capital, to discuss several subjects, including the Khashoggi case.

Marsudi said al-Jubeir had conveyed a "statement and explanation" to Widodo about the case, but she declined to elaborate. She is scheduled to hold talks with al-Jubeir in Jakarta on Tuesday.

In 2017, King Salman became the first Saudi monarch to visit the Southeast Asian nation in nearly five decades, and signed a range of cooperation pacts.

(Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)