‘I’m WORRIED’ Macron confronts Saudi Arabia Crown Prince at tense G20 summit

Journalist Mr Khashoggi disappeared in October in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul with the oil rich state initially denying all knowledge of the incident before admitting they knew what had taken place. Mr Khashoggi’s remains are still unaccounted for amid several international investigations. Saudi Arabia has promised to get to the bottom of what happened but the West has accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, of ordering the killing.

The conversation between Macron and MBS took place in Buenos Aires as world leaders arrived in the Argentinian capital for the G20 summit.

In the video, the French President can clearly be heard saying “I am worried” after the Crown Prince tells him not to be concerned.

The pair spoke in whispers, aware they were being recorded nearby and tried to keep the conversation private.

Mr Macron appeared stern with MBS who simply smiled and nodded his head while dismissing the French leader’s concerns.

Further in the clip, which lasts one-minute and was posted on Twitter, Mr Macron rebukes the Saudi leader for not appreciating his advice.

Mr Macron says: “You never listen to me”, to which the Crown Prince replies: “I will listen, of course.”

At the end, Mr Macron is heard threateningly telling MBS: “I am a man of my word.”

French officials attempted to play up the role of Mr Macron in the exchange despite the Crown Prince’s apparent indifference.

An Elysee official said: “It’s a sort of contrast between MbS’s face sporting an embarrassed smile and the President’s face, which was rather stern, and was keen to convey these messages in a very firm manner.”

French officials added Mr Macron spoke to the Crown Prince about the ongoing war in Yemen where millions of people are facing starvation amid one of the worst famines the world has ever seen.

Theresa May, who is making the first visit of a British Prime Minister to Buenos Aires as she also attends the summit, said she would also press the Saudi leader over Mr Khashoggi’s murder and the war in Yemen.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office confirmed Theresa May and MBS had spoken on the sidelines of the G20 summit this evening.

Mrs May is said to have told the Crown Prince to take action to prevent future incidents like the murder of Mr Khashoggi from happening.

US intelligence, which has reportedly analysed an audio recording from inside the Saudi Arabian consulate, has concluded that MBS was behind the murder of Mr Khashoggi, an allegation which Saudi Arabia still denies.

MBS, who is the son of Saudi Arabia’s ruling King, is the de facto leader and the G20 marks his first major overseas appearance since Mr Khashoggi’s murder.

He is facing pressure from some leaders including the UK, France, Germany and Turkey’s President Erdogan, who is also in attendance in Argentina, to admit exactly what happened.

US President Donald Trump is fearful of upsetting Riyadh and Russia President Vladimir Putin is unfazed by the journalists death, giving MBS a high-five as the pair met today in Buenos Aires.