Britain official pulls out of Saudi conference amid Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance

Britain's Trade minister has pulled out of a Saudi investment conference over the kingdom's involvement in the disappearance and alleged slaying of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox is the latest high-level Western official to drop out of attending next week's summit in Riyadh.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra have also cancelled, along with several senior business executives.

Britain's Department for International Trade says Fox "has decided the time is not right for him to attend the Future Investment Initiative."

Britain says it is "very concerned" about the disappearance of Khashoggi, who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.

Turkish officials say he was killed and dismembered there.

-PTI