Erdoğan met former intel chief Fidan in Medina, report claims

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly met with Hakan Fidan, the former head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on March 2.

Erdoğan reportedly expressed his disappointment over Fidan’s resignation during the tete-a-tete meeting, daily Habertürk reported on March 6, adding that Fidan explained the reasons for his resignation and the problems he has faced since he left his post.

The meeting took place two days before Erdoğan’s latest comments on Fidan’s resignation, when he repeated his disappointment over the former MİT chief’s decision.

“We are governing a state. I have already expressed my opinion about that issue. There is of course a disappointment if a candidacy is in question even though we have expressed our opinions,” Erdoğan told reporters en route to Saudi Arabia on March 4.

Fidan, one of Erdoğan’s closest confidants, resigned late on Feb. 6, in order to run in a parliamentary election in June for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).