Theresa May has said she plans to raise the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the situation in Yemen with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 meeting in Argentina.
She told reporters the UK wanted to see a transparent investigation into Khashoggi’s killing and wanted those responsible to be held to account.
“On the issue of Yemen we continue to be deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation,” Mrs May said. “The long-term solution for the Yemen is a political situation and we will be encouraging all parties actually to look for that and work for that.” Western nations are calling for an end to the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen launched by Mr Salman.
Mrs May has flown to Buenos Aires hoping to rescue the international reputation of her Brexit deal as she navigates a fraught diplomatic atmosphere with Saudi and Russian leaders. During the two-day summit in Buenos Aires she will hold up to six bilateral meetings with world leaders, but not with Donald Trump, who has been critical of her Brexit deal and its potential limitations on future trade.
Nor will she meet Vladimir Putin, given the frosty state of UK relations with Moscow and division among G20 leaders over how to regard Russia’s latest incursions in Ukraine.
First visit
Mrs May’s arrival on Thursday night marked the first visit by a British prime minister to the Argentinian capital. On Friday she will tell world leaders she has achieved a good Brexit deal for the global economy that will open up new opportunities for trade and give the UK a new, independent voice to push for reform of multinational institutions such as the World Trade Organization.
Mr Trump has expressed deep scepticism about the UK’s ability to strike free-trade deals with countries such as the US under the agreed Brexit terms, a fear shared by many of Mrs May’s mutinous backbenchers seeking to crush her deal in parliament.
Downing Street hit back after Mr Trump made his remarks on Monday, insisting the UK could negotiate, sign and ratify agreements provided these did not enter into force or apply during the Brexit transition period.
One of the new freedoms that Mrs May will promote at the summit will be the UK’s independent seat at the WTO from April 2019, which Downing Street said would be used to push for “ambitious and urgent reform” including on trade in services, declaration of subsidies and respect for intellectual property rights.
Downing Street’s promotion of the prospect of free-trade deals was somewhat undermined by the cross-Whitehall economic analysis published on Wednesday, which suggests trade deals with the US, Australia and Brics countries would add just 0.2 per cent to GDP.