US, France call indictments in Khashoggi case 'step in the right direction'

WASHINGTON: The United States and France on Thursday welcomed Saudi Arabia's indictment of suspects over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, calling it a "step in the right direction".

Urging Riyadh to pursue its investigations, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert on Thursday  welcomed the Saudi announcement, saying: "We regard the announcement that they made as a good first step, it´s a step in the right direction."

She said that it was an initial investigation finding, adding ; "It is important that those steps continue to be taken toward full accountability."

In a separate statement, the French foreign ministry reiterated President Emmanuel Macron's call for full light to be shed on Khashoggi's October 2 death at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul and said: "We will continue to study developments in the case closely."

The Kingdom on Thursday called for the death penalty against five  accused of killing the journalist inside its Istanbul consulate.