Yesterday, Thursday evening in Jeddah, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz received Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the beginning of an official visit initiated by the Turkish president to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, the first of its kind since 2017.
The Turkish president is accompanied on his two-day visit by a number of senior officials, including the ministers of interior, defense, justice and finance.
In a series of tweets by the Turkish president on Twitter, Thursday evening, he confirmed that his visit comes at the invitation of the King of Saudi Arabia, and that it "will open the doors to a new era with the friendly and brotherly kingdom."
And he added, "We, as two brotherly countries with historical, cultural and human relations, are making unremitting efforts to strengthen all kinds of political, military and economic relations, and to start a new era between us."
Erdogan expressed his confidence that increased cooperation between Turkey and Saudi Arabia in areas such as health, energy, food security, agricultural technology, defense industries and finance will be in the common interest of the two countries.
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His Highness the Crown Prince and the President of the Republic of Turkey during their meeting at the Peace Palace in Jeddah to review the relations between the two countries and opportunities to develop them in various fields, and discuss the latest regional and international developments and efforts made in their regard. https://t.co/cXxGpSKGQr# SPA pic.twitter.com/ xVajglNX3v
— SPA Royal News (@spagov) April 28, 2022
Meeting with bin Salman
The Turkish president also held a session of talks at the Royal Peace Palace in Jeddah with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which they reviewed Saudi-Turkish relations and opportunities to develop them in various fields, in addition to discussing the latest regional and international developments and efforts made in their regard, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Erdogan's plane landed at Jeddah airport on Thursday evening, and he was received by the Emir of Makkah Al-Mukarramah region, Khaled Al-Faisal, according to the government's "Al-Ikhbaria" channel, while streets in the city were decorated with the flags of the two countries.
Before leaving Istanbul, Erdogan told reporters, "We will try to launch a new era and strengthen all political, military, economic and cultural ties," adding, "I hope this visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen relations based on mutual trust and respect."
Erdogan (left) held a session of talks at the Royal Peace Palace in Jeddah with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Reuters)
Erdogan's last visit to Saudi Arabia dates back to 2017. Last February, the Turkish president made his first official visit to the UAE in nearly a decade, a few months after the visit of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Ankara.
Ankara hopes the visit will completely end an unofficial boycott imposed by Saudi Arabia on Turkish imports in 2020, amid a war of words over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The boycott reduced Turkish imports to the kingdom by 98 percent.
A senior Turkish official said that there was a "very positive" atmosphere ahead of the visit, adding that "the ground is clear and ready so that we can once again work in concert with regard to trade, investment and regional issues."