President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is visiting Saudi Arabia to hold extensive talks with senior Saudi leadership in Riyadh on Feb. 3 amid Türkiye’s efforts to secure peace and stability in the Middle East and avoid a new military escalation between the United States and Iran.
Erdoğan, accompanied by a large delegation including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, arrived in Riyadh, where he is being hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other top Saudi officials.
Erdoğan-Salman talks are expected to focus on the tension between Iran and the U.S., as both countries have declared their opposition to resorting to military means in resolving regional issues.
Erdoğan, during a weekly cabinet meeting on Feb. 2, underlined Türkiye’s priority in keeping regional stability and peace.
“We stand for peace, tranquility, stability, reconciliation, and social cohesion in every inch of our region. We know very well that if there is fire, conflict, or war beyond our borders, it is impossible for us to feel safe here,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye is closely following the developments in Iran, he said; de-escalation between Tehran and Washington will be discussed with Saudi officials in Riyadh.
Erdoğan’s visit to Saudi Arabia and then to Egypt comes days before Türkiye will host Iranian and American delegations in Istanbul for resolving the nuclear disputes through diplomacy and negotiations.
The two leaders’ agenda also includes Syria and Gaza.
On Syria, Erdoğan welcomed the implementation of the January 18 and January 30 agreements between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
“It is of great importance to us that the problem in the north of Syria be resolved on the basis of ‘one army, one state, and one Syria,’ without shedding blood. It is from this perspective that we look at the agreements the Syrian government and the structure called SDF signed on January 18 and January 30,” the president said.
With these agreements that stipulate the full integration of the SDF with Damascus, a new chapter has been opened for the Syrian people, Erdoğan stressed. “We wish for this new chapter to be filled with peace, development, and prosperity, not with conflicts and tensions. Anyone who attempts to sabotage this will be crushed under it.”
“Today or in the future, regardless of the cause, those who pin their hopes on terrorism or resort to terror should know that they will never achieve results. We hope that the agreements will be implemented in a manner befitting their spirit, without resorting to cheap considerations such as foot-dragging or stalling,” the president added.
Following his talks in Riyadh, Erdoğan will go to Egypt on February 4 to meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
