World wondering who ordered Khashoggi killing, says AK Party spox

The world is wondering who “at the top” had ordered the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, said Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party deputy leader and spokesman Ömer Çelik on Wednesday.

“This could not have been done without an order from the top. The world wants to know: Who gave the order from the top?” Çelik said.

During a televised speech, Çelik said Turkey firmly condemns French FM Jean-Yves le Drian's remarks that were critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s handling of Jamal Khashoggi case.

Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate by a team sent from Riyadh. Saudi authorities have acknowledged that the killing was premeditated, but his body has not been found.

Referring to a remark made by French President about the need for a European army, Çelik said the debate over the proposal clearly shows cracks in transatlantic alliance.

“Security of Balkans, Europe would not possible without Turkey, no matter with a NATO or a European army,” said Çelik.

Discussing the threat from cyber-hacking and outside meddling in the electoral process, Macron said Europe needed to protect itself against China, Russia "and even the United States".

Later in the interview he spoke about the need for a European army, saying:

"Faced by Russia, which is on our borders and which has shown that it can be threatening... we need to have a Europe that can better defend itself by itself, without depending solely on the United States."