Khashoggi's slaying not the main reason for Biden's middle east trip

{O/C} {While in Israel today,}

U.S. President Joe Biden was disinclined to broach Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder back in 2018 with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when they meet later today.

{STR}

{Soundbite}

JOE BIDEN, U.S. President:

My views on Khashoggi have been made absolutely, positively clear and I have never been quiet about asking about human rights.

The reason I'm going to Saudi Arabia is much broader -- it's to promote U.S. interest, in a way that I think we have an opportunity to reassert what I think we made a mistake of walking away from our influence in the Middle East.