Turkey and Saudi Arabia have long been cooperating on Syria: Turkish MFA spokesperson

Turkey and Saudi Arabia have long been cooperating on Syria: Turkish MFA spokesperson

ANKARA
Turkey and Saudi Arabia have long been cooperating on Syria: Turkish MFA spokesperson

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Turkey and Saudi Arabia have long been in cooperation on the issue of Syrian crisis, but there are no new elements regarding that effort, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Tanju Bilgiç said May 8, elaborating on recent media reports claiming a new deal between the two countries.

The media reports suggested that Turkey and Saudi Arabia had agreed on a pack for logistical and financial support to help rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad. In response, Bilgiç said the two countries’ views overlap on the Syrian case, with long-continued cooperation on this issue. Turkey cooperates not only with Saudi Arabia, but with the U.S. and Britain, who are also allies of the coalition, Bilgiç added. 

“I can say that there are no new elements regarding this cooperation,” he said. 

Turkish officials are now confirming that Turkey forged an alliance with Saudi Arabia to help rebels fighting the regime of President Assad, AP reported on May 7.

The pact, which provides rebels logistical and financial support, is a concern for a U.S. administration wary of empowering radical Islamist groups in Syria. Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been at odds over how to deal with Assad, their common enemy. But mutual frustration with what they consider American indecision has brought the two together in a strategic alliance that is driving recent rebel gains in northern Syria, AP quoted Turkish officials as saying.