Cyprus Mail
TurkeyWorld

Turkey’s Erdogan to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday -two sources

file photo: turkish president erdogan visits albania
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo by Reuters

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday and meet Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, two sources with information on the matter told Reuters, as Ankara tries to mend ties with Riyadh after dropping a legal case on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul.

Relations have been tense since a Saudi hit team killed Khashoggi at the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate in 2018. At the time, Erdogan and his government had accused senior Saudi officials, including Prince Mohammed, of being involved in the murder and of hindering a legal process.

Ankara’s comments then, which came amid widespread global outcry, prompted an unofficial Saudi boycott of Turkish products. Ankara has since sharply toned down its rhetoric toward Riyadh, and has gone as far as saying there are no bilateral issues between the two regional powers.

As part of a regional charm offensive launched in 2020 amid growing isolation, Ankara has made overtures to mend ties with several countries, including Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It has also approached many Gulf states for economic support as it faces soaring inflation and a surge in energy prices following Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Last month, Riyadh requested that Ankara hand over the case of Khashoggi’s murder, which was ongoing in Turkey. This month, Ankara approved the request, halted the case and sent it to Riyadh. Read full story

“There will be a meeting with MbS during the visit to Saudi Arabia,” one of the sources, a senior Turkish official, said on condition of anonymity, using the widely known acronym for Prince Mohammed’s name. “Many issues, from economy, investments, regional issues, leaving behind the troubled times in bilateral ties will be discussed.

“It is expected to be an efficient meeting for both sides,” the official said.

If realised, the meeting will be the culmination of months of efforts by Ankara to repair ties, as it seeks to alleviate growing economic woes.

Follow the Cyprus Mail on Google News

Related Posts

Authorities warned of ship approach moments before Baltimore bridge collapse

Reuters News Service

Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it launched dozens of rockets after Israeli strikes

Reuters News Service

Trump’s media company surges for second day after stellar debut

Reuters News Service

Migrant crossings to UK hit new record, heaping pressure on Sunak

Reuters News Service

Israeli strikes on Rafah raise fear assault could begin

Reuters News Service

Officials board ship that hit Baltimore bridge, divers search for bodies

Reuters News Service