Saudi Arabia has sent the United States a payment of NZ$152 million yesterday, the same day US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The payment, reported by the New York Times, was pledged in August to support US stablisation efforts in Syria, but the timing of the payment does raise questions over a potential payoff, with Saudi Arabia looking to manage the international backlash over Mr Khashoggi's disappearance.
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The US has denied any link between the payment and the discussions involving Mr Pompeo.
"We always expected the contribution to be finalized in the [northern autumn] timeframe," Brett McGurk, the US State Department's envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition, said.
"The specific transfer of funds has been long in process and has nothing to do with other events or the Secretary's visit."
US President Donald Trump, who initially promised "severe punishment" should the Saudi's be found guilty of killing Mr Khashoggi, has softened his stance drastically by comparing the case to that of Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh in that they are "guilty until proven innocent".
Newshub.
