King’s visit to bolster Turkey ties

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman will hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday. 

The two leaders are expected to hold talks on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues of common concerns, while reviewing ongoing cooperation in different fields, including security, trade and the economy.
King Salman, who is visiting Turkey following a presidential invitation, was received at the Ankara airport by Erdogan.
“The royal visit, the first official visit, will boost strategic cooperative partnerships between the two nations,” said Turkish Ambassador Yunus Demirer Monday, who joined Turkish officials to welcome the king and his entourage.
“King Salman will stay for two days in the capital before leaving for Istanbul on Wednesday for the OIC summit,” he added. Demirer said the two sides have had extensive consensus “on elevating the relationship” within the framework of the new regional situation and amid challenges facing the region. 
Riyadh and Ankara have set up a strategic council to strengthen military, economic and investment cooperation. The two countries are also intensifying their efforts to reach a political resolution in Syria, and therefore are expected to discuss ways to resolve the Syrian crisis during the visit. 
Asked about the topics of the king’s talks with senior Turkish officials, informed sources said the top issue will be the Syrian crisis as both sides share a similar view that requires the removal of President Bashar Assad. Both countries support the Free Syrian Army and other Arab groups as the main ground forces fighting Daesh and the cruel regime. 
The king and Erdogan are expected to evaluate recent developments in the Middle East. The Turkish ambassador said that the king’s participation in the OIC summit is also “very important for all of us.” 
The OIC summit will focus on the Palestinian cause, conflicts in member states and combating terrorism besides other regional and international issues that affect the Islamic world. 
More than 30 heads of state and government will attend the summit hosted by Erdogan in Istanbul on Thursday and Friday.