French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he was "extremely worried" by the disappearance of veteran Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and would speak on the issue with Saudi and Turkish leaders in the coming days.

"What has been described is serious, very serious," Macron told French broadcasters France 24 and RFI in Armenian capital Yerevan in his first comments on the case. "I await the truth and complete clarity being established."

"France wants everything to be done so that we have all the truth on this case of which the first elements are extremely worrying."

Macron said that he had not spoken to Saudi King Salman or his son Crown Prince Mohammed about Khashoggi, who has not been seen since he walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Some commentators in France have criticized the lack of response by the government, which like other Western allies of Saudi Arabia have recently embraced Crown Prince Mohammed as a reformer of his kingdom.

Media reports have suggested Khashoggi was killed and dismembered after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a hit squad which arrived from Riyadh -- claims denied by the Saudi government.

Macron, who welcomed Prince Mohammed to Paris in April, said he would speak on the matter with fellow world leaders "in the coming days."

"Depending on what is established, I will take a position," he said.