Eight things we learnt from Erdogan's speech

Here’s Middle East Eye Editor David Hearst’s eight takeaway points on what we’ve learnt from Erdogan’s speech on Tuesday:

• Turkey is not prepared to accept any Saudi response that seeks to pin the blame for the killing on lower-ranked security and intelligence officials. The investigation into Khashoggi’s killing must reach to the top of the Saudi government.
   

• Turkey wants to put the 18 people arrested by Saudi Arabia (the 15 suspects who flew in, plus three embassy staff) on trial in Istanbul
   

• Turkey is going to tell the full story of the killing through the investigation currently being conducted by Istanbul’s chief prosecutor
   

• The ferocity of the murder, and evidence indicating that the suspects were tipped off several days before Khashoggi’s visit to the consulate and conducted reconnaissance beforehand, suggest that the attack was premeditated, contradicting Saudi Arabia’s story
   

• Erdogan put on record many details about the investigation that had previously only been reported as a result of Turkish leaks to the media
   

• Erdogan targeted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by not naming him. By contrast, he said he did not doubt the sincerety of King Salman
   

• He said that he wants international support for Turkey’s investigation into the killing
   

• Erdogan implied that other regional actors could have been involved in the plot; a possible reference to the UAE, which is tightly allied with Riyadh through the close relationship between bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed