News analysis

Canada-Saudi row: The case against Twitter diplomacy

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Analysts see the row between Canada and Saudi Arabia as a particularly good example of how foreign policy conducted over Twitter can be counterproductive - and also as a sign of the increasing assertiveness of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

And while a critical tweet from Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland triggered a harsh response from the Saudis, domestic issues played a major part in both cases.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 16, 2018, with the headline Canada-Saudi row: The case against Twitter diplomacy. Subscribe