More finance ministers pull out of Saudi conference over journalist’s disappearance

The French and Dutch finance ministers are the latest officials to withdraw from an economic summit in Saudi Arabia amid the disappearance and suspected death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Bruno Le Maire, France’s finance minister, said Thursday on a French television channel that he “will not go to Riyadh next week” for the Future Investment Initiative, according to media reports.

{mosads}“The allegations are serious,” he added, according to Reuters.

Dutch finance minister Wopka Hoekstra will also not attend the summit, news agency ANP reported, according to Reuters.

A number of American companies and corporate executives have also withdrawn from the upcoming conference, but Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has not yet dropped out of the event, known as “Davos in the Desert.” He is expected to decide Thursday whether he will attend. 

Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul more than two weeks ago. Turkish officials have alleged that he was murdered and likely dismembered inside the consulate by Saudi officials. 

President Trump has yet to blame the Saudis, though, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered few details Wednesday after meetings with Turkish and Saudi officials.