“The Saudi prosecution has clearly answered the outstanding questions, charged the responsible parties, identified the roles of those involved in this crime and announced all that with transpa ency,” OIC Secretary-General said JEDDAH: The US welcomed the details of Saudi Arabia’s investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi as a “good first step.” The comments came as a host of countries responded positively to a briefing from the Kingdom’s public prosecution on Thursday that said it had identified 21 suspects in the killing of the Saudi journalist at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last month. The prosecution called for five people to receive the death penalty as it revealed the details of the investigation so far. “We regard the announcement that they made as a good first step, it’s a step in the right direction,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. “It is an initial investigation finding. It is important that those steps continue to be taken toward full accountability.” Both Arab and Western countries welcomed the steps taken by the investigation outlined in the briefing. France’s Foreign Ministry said the investigation was a “step in the right direction.” The Arab League expressed support for the measures taken by the Kingdom. “The measures are seen as reflecting the great interest of the Kingdom to reach those responsible for committing the murder and take the firm and decisive action against them,” the league’s secretariat general said. The statement also urged Turkey to reciprocate the Kingdom’s approach by providing the evidence in the case and meet Saudi demands to form a joint mechanism for cooperation on the investigation. The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, said the details of the investigation released on Thursday “confirm the Kingdom’s commitment to completing the necessary procedures in order to continue the investigation away from the politicization sought by some malicious parties.” Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), stressed that the statement clarified the truth, answering questions with evidence and documentation, demanding justice in addition to holding the criminals accountable. He added that the statement represented Saudi Arabia’s approach and its decisiveness against all criminals. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) praised the statement from the Public Prosecution. “The Saudi prosecution has clearly answered the outstanding questions, charged the responsible parties, identified the roles of those involved in this crime and announced all that with transpa ency,” OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen said. The Pakistani Foreign Office lauded the efforts being made by Riyadh, as have been mutually reaffirmed by both Saudi Arabia and Turkey. “Commencement of this process demonstrates the resolve and commitment of the Saudi authorities to hold the culprits and their associates to account,” said the Foreign Ministry statement. Countries in the region were also quick to back the progress made in the case. The UAE welcomed the findings and the measures taken to hold accountable those behind the murder. “The measures taken corroborate the fact that Saudi Arabia will remain a state of values, and justice that respects the principles of law and justice,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said. Egypt also praised Saudi measures and called on countries to avoid politicizing the case. The progress in the investigation “highlighted the seriousness of the Kingdom and its transparency in clarifying the truth,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said. An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait praised the transparency of the statement, which reflects the commitment of Saudi Arabia to serve justice. The Jordanian government stressed the importance of the Public Prosecution’s announcement to charge a number of detainees in the case. “This announcement is an important step toward achieving justice through the investigations’ results,” the government said. The Yemeni government stressed that the actions taken by the Saudi judiciary to hold the suspects accountable for the murder of Khashoggi should end all attempts to politicize the case in an attempt to undermine the security and stability of Saudi Arabia and its influential and pivotal role on the Arab, Islamic and international levels. Yemen reiterated its support for the leadership, government, and people of Saudi Arabia and their total rejection of the miserable political exploitation of the crime and their strong condemnation of the malicious campaigns against Saudi Arabia. Other governments to issue statements welcoming the Kingdom’s steps included Lebanon, Djibouti, Comoros and Palestine.