Saudi Arabia: MBS begins its first tour in Europe since the assassination of Khashoggi

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis receives Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before their meeting, in Athens on July 26, 2022. AFP - LOUISA GOULIAMAKI

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This is the first time that Mohammed bin Salman has visited the European Union since the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia arrived in Athens on Tuesday July 26.

After Greece, he will travel to France where he is expected to meet President Emmanuel Macron.

A trip that marks a little more his return to the international scene. 

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The statement from the official Saudi press agency does not go into detail.

Mohammed bin Salman, says the SPA, will meet " 

the leaders of Greece and France to discuss bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them in different areas

".

Nothing on the content of the exchanges, the files that will actually be discussed.

But for the crown prince, the most important thing is the symbol of his visit.

HRH Crown Prince Arrives in Greece.https://t.co/HcH3txH52r#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/pxh17ioC3F

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) July 26, 2022

By receiving Joe Biden

two weeks ago, Mohammed bin Salman showed that his international isolation had indeed come to an end.

Even the President of the United States, who had made public a report pointing out

his responsibility for the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi

, had ended up visiting him.

By going to the European Union, he goes one step further and shows that he too can now travel.

Mohammed ben Salman is no longer a “pariah” or

a persona non grata

.

The choice of a stage in France for this first visit to the European Union is not very surprising: Emmanuel Macron had been the first Western leader to visit him last December.

The normalization of ties with Riyadh had begun before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, but

economic difficulties due to rising oil prices is accelerating the process

.  

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  • European Union

  • Saudi Arabia

  • Mohammad bin Salman

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Greece

  • France

  • Joe Biden

  • United States