Extraordinary preparations for Saudi king’s visit to Turkish capital

ANKARA

AFP photo

A week of intense preparations in Ankara for Saudi King Salman has been completed, with extraordinary security measures marking the king’s two-day visit upon the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The windows of the 450-square meter King Suite in the JW Marriot in Ankara have been covered with bullet-proof glass while the walls of the suite have been covered with bomb-resistant cement. 

Saudi Arabia’s monarch starts a five-day trip to Turkey on April 11. After concluding meetings in the capital, the Saudi delegation will move to Istanbul to attend the 13th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit which will take place on April 14 and 15. 

The hotel has been booked for the king for three days, and a team of 300 Saudi officials arrived there a few days ago to coordinate private preparations. It is reported that the total cost of preparations at the hotel was around $10 million.

All personal belongings and other necessities were transferred to Ankara in cargo planes, while around 500 luxury cars have been rented for the king’s meetings in Ankara and Istanbul. To fulfil this demand, vehicles have been rented from provinces across Turkey including Antalya and Adana.