Saudi crown prince 'seeks Erdogan meeting' amid Khashoggi outrage

The Saudi Crown Prince has requested a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan at the G20 summit later this week, as outrage over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder continues to haunt Mohammed bin Salman.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the report in an interview published on Tuesday, saying there was currently no reason not to meet him.

"Yes, he has asked Erdogan on the phone, whether they could meet in Buenos Aires. Erdogan's answer was 'Let's see'," Cavusoglu told Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

The two leaders will attend the G-20 meeting in Argentina later this week.

"At the moment there is no reason not to meet with the crown prince," Cavusoglu said.

Asked if he knew for sure who in Riyadh gave the order to kill Khashoggi, Cavusoglu said that the team would not have acted on its own, but could not say anything else without proof, reported Reuters.

Cavusoglu said Riyadh had offered to send identikit photos of local helpers who assisted in the cover-up. "Why identikit pictures? The Saudis know the names," he said.

Turkey says it has recordings related to the killing which it shared with Western allies. Cavusoglu said he had listened to the recordings and that Khashoggi was killed within seven minutes.

"It was premeditated murder," he told the German newspaper, rather than a last resort after they failed to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia.

"It can be heard how the forensics expert instructs the others: they should listen to music while he cuts up the body. One notices how he enjoys it."

Human rights groups including HRW have called on Argentina to use a war crimes clause in its constitution to investigate the role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in possible crimes against humanity in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Seeking to rally support from Arab allies ahead of the summit, Prince Mohammed on Thursday embarked on a regional tour starting with the United Arab Emirates, his first official trip abroad since Khashoggi's murder tipped the kingdom into crisis.

Human rights groups including HRW have called on Argentina to use a war crimes clause in its constitution to investigate the role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in possible crimes against humanity in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi ahead of his arrival.

The former court insider and Washington Post contributor was killed and dismembered in what Saudi Arabia said was a "rogue" operation, but CIA analysis leaked to the US media pointed the finger at Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia has said that 21 people are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men, but attention remains focused on whether the crown prince ordered the murder despite the kingdom's denials.