In Khashoggi's shadow, Macron holds Saudi talks with crown prince

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron leaves after a joint statement with Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, December 1, 2021. Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via REUTERS

DOHA (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron held face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, becoming the first major Western leader to visit the kingdom since journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder.

Macron considers Saudi Arabia vital to help forge a region-wide peace deal with Iran, as well as an ally in the fight against Islamist militants from the Middle East to West Africa, and a rampart against the Muslim Brotherhood.