We will improve relations with Gulf countries: Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Dec. 6 said that despite the opposition’s criticism, they will continue to develop relations with the Gulf countries.

“As Turkey, we are in favor of continuing our cooperation, solidarity and further relations with all Gulf countries by getting stronger,” Erdoğan said at a press conference before departing to Qatar.

“We will reinforce our solidarity with the new agreements we will sign with Qatar,” he said.

Referring to the relations between Qatar and Turkey, Erdoğan said the two countries achieved development in recent years; it will continue much more productively from his visit.

“In 2014, we took a step to hold the first strategic meeting, and we held the first one in 2015,” he stated

Erdoğan recalled they would hold a bilateral high-level strategic meeting in Qatar and said he would meet Turkish soldiers based in the Gulf country.

Turkey and Qatar have signed 69 documents with Qatar, and they will further strengthen our solidarity with the new agreements on the occasion of the meeting.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Dec. 6 held a joint press conference as part of the preparatory meeting at the level of foreign ministers of the seventh Meeting of the Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee.

Evaluating the bilateral relations, Çavuşoğlu said, “We have exceptional and excellent relations with Qatar.”

Çavuşoğlu stated that they reviewed the documents of the two countries that are ready for signature and that they followed the implementation of the previously signed documents.

Emphasizing the deepening of cooperation between Turkey and Qatar in areas such as defense, economy, education, culture and health, Çavuşoğlu said: “We also agree with our friend and brother Qatar on regional issues. We know the conditions in Afghanistan very well. Qatar knows better than anyone else.”

“We are among those who know best how much effort Qatar has made to achieve peace and an agreement, especially in Afghanistan. But under the current conditions, the Afghan people need serious humanitarian assistance,” he stated.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with his counterpart, Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, on Dec. 5.

“The work we do here with Qatar is not against third countries, but to defend our countries, nations and rights and to maximize our deterrent power,” he stated.