President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on Wednesday declared their determination to launch a new era of cooperation in bilateral relations, especially in the political, economic, military, security and cultural fields.
Erdoğan welcomed bin Salman at an official ceremony in the capital Ankara.
According to a joint statement, the leaders underscored the countries’ determination to usher in a new era of comprehensive cooperation in many areas.
Ankara and Riyadh have decided to deepen consultation and cooperation on regional issues to enhance stability and peace, he added.
The two leaders pledged to develop and maintain cooperation based on the “historic brotherhood” of the two nations for the future of the region.
They also stressed the importance of increasing the number of flights between their two countries, facilitating bilateral trade and exploring investment opportunities.
Saudi Arabia also expressed gratitude for Turkey’s support for Riyadh’s bid to host EXPO 2030, according to the joint Turkish-Saudi statement.
According to the statement, Erdoğan and the Saudi Crown Prince discussed the possibility of developing and diversifying mutual trade, facilitating bilateral trade between the two countries and overcoming difficulties as well as increasing communication in the public and public sectors. from both countries to explore investment opportunities. and transform them into concrete partnerships in various fields.
As member countries of the G20, Turkey and Saudi Arabia recognize the great economic potential of both nations and the potential of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 in investment, trade, tourism, development, industry, mining, construction projects, transport infrastructure, agriculture and food security. , health, media and sport.
The two leaders agreed to activate the Saudi-Turkish Coordination Council, increase the level of cooperation and coordination in areas of common interest, and work on sharing experiences between experts from the two countries, adds the press release.
They also expressed their expectations for cooperation in the field of energy, such as oil and refining, petrochemicals, energy efficiency, electricity, renewable energies, innovation and clean technologies for natural resources. hydrocarbons.
The joint statement also highlighted a consensus reached on the development of production and investment partnerships in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital technologies and smart cities, as well as the encouragement of cooperation between players in the sector. private sector operating in these areas.
Turkey welcomed Saudi Arabia’s launch of the “Saudi Green Initiative” and the “Middle East Green Initiative” in the field of environment and climate change, she said. He also expressed his support for Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field of climate change for the implementation of the circular carbon economy platform initiated by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the leaders of the G20 countries.
Parties reiterated the importance of adhering to the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement and the need to implement the climate agreement with a focus on emissions without sources, the press release adds.
At the end of April, Erdoğan paid a two-day working visit to Saudi Arabia aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.
During his visit, he met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as well as the Crown Prince and discussed various international, regional and bilateral issues.
On his way back to Turkey after his visit, Erdoğan said Ankara and Riyadh were determined to continue their efforts for common interests and stability in the region.
media reaction
Saudi state media on Wednesday hailed the crown prince’s visit to Turkey and the distinguished relations between Riyadh and Ankara.
State-run Al-Ikhbariya TV said Saudi-Turkish relations “witness a new phase of development and prosperity with tangible steps between the leaders of the two countries.”
“Cooperation between Riyadh and Ankara is important to deal with regional issues, fight against terrorism and support stability,” he added.
The official SPA news agency said relations between Riyadh and Ankara are developing in various fields.
“The mutual visits between the leaders of the Kingdom and Turkey give a clear example of the strength of their relationship,” SPA said.
Several outlets also provided detailed coverage of bin Salman’s visit to Turkey on their accounts on social media platforms.
Relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have soured over the past decade, but the two countries are now looking to rekindle ties.
Before his trip this year, the last time Erdoğan visited Saudi Arabia was in 2017, when he tried to mediate a dispute between the kingdom and other Gulf countries in Qatar. .
Ties between Ankara and Riyadh crumbled after a Saudi commando killed and dismembered Khashoggi in 2018 at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.
Turkey had opened a trial in absentia against 26 Saudis suspected of Khashoggi’s murder, but the court decided earlier this year to stop the proceedings and transfer the case to Saudi Arabia, paving the way for the countries to come together .
Over the past year, Ankara has embarked on a diplomatic campaign to reset relations with regional powers such as Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia after years of ‘antagonism.
Erdoğan reiterated that Turkey hopes to maximize its cooperation with Israel, Egypt and the Gulf countries “on a win-win basis”, at a time when Ankara is stepping up its diplomacy to mend its strained ties with these regional powers after years. of tension.
The normalization process launched with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will bring great contributions to both sides, Erdoğan said recently.
Saudi Arabia is trying to broaden its alliances at a time when relations between Riyadh and Washington are strained.
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