Turkish FM says held constructive talks with Saudi counterpart, agreed to improve ties
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday he had held constructive discussions with his Saudi Arabian counterpart and that the two ministers had agreed to improve ties, as Ankara works to repair its strained regional relations.
Ties between Ankara and Riyadh have been troubled since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi hit squad at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. Following Turkish demands for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other officials to be prosecuted, Riyadh imposed an unofficial boycott on goods from Turkey, but Ankara has been working to mend ties since 2020 under a regional charm offensive.
Speaking to state media after a meeting of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad, Cavusoglu said his discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud had been “very beneficial and goal-oriented,” and would help in normalising ties. [Reuters]
