Doha and Ankara will sign dozens of agreements during Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Qatar, but Turkey “has no plans to seek financial assistance,” the two countries’ foreign ministers said.
However, during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that Doha considered that Turkey’s financial difficulties offered opportunities for Qatar.
Turkey is hit by high inflation and the monetary crisis following successive cuts in interest rates.
Ahead of his departure for Qatar today, Erdogan said Ankara wants to develop its relations with the Gulf countries “without discrimination”.
“We will continue to develop our relations with our Gulf brothers, without discrimination, in the context of our common interests and mutual respect,” the Turkish president told a news conference before leaving Istanbul.
“We welcome the resumption of dialogue and diplomatic efforts to avoid misunderstandings in the Gulf region,” he added.
Approach to the United Arab Emirates …
In November, Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the successor to Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), in Ankara, opening a new chapter in relations between the two rival countries in the region.
This first meeting, the first since 2012, aimed to mitigate differences between the two leaders who aspire to play a regional role.
Following the failed coup in July 2016, President Erdogan accused the United Arab Emirates of succeeding him as one of the instigators, calling him “Turkey’s worst enemy.”
Relations between the two countries deteriorated further in 2017, following the blockade of Qatar, a close ally of Ankara. The blockade was declared by Saudi Arabia, followed by the UAE.
Ankara backed Doha during the blockade and the two countries have further strengthened relations since then.
Erdogan announced he would pay a visit to Abu Dhabi in February.
… but also a possible meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), will also visit Doha this week, Wednesday. However, the Qatari foreign minister said the two visits were a coincidence.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey are two regional rival powers. But both sides are working to improve their relationship.
A Gulf official said talks were under way to schedule a meeting between Erdogan and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince later this week, but details were being discussed and the meeting was not confirmed.
If held, it will be the first direct meeting between the two leaders since the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Kasogi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Saudi Arabia imposed an unofficial boycott of Turkish imports last year amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
.
