Turkish president expects his visit to boost ties with Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah welcomed Gul at the air base with an official ceremony in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia.

 

Gul's entourage includes his wife Hayrunnisa Gul, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu.

 

Some 150 Turkish businessmen are also accompanying Gul in the hope of winning infrastructure and industrial contracts.

 

During the Turkish president's visit to Saudi Arabia, agreements will be signed between the two countries to boost cooperation ties in maritime transportation, as well as in the fields of youth and sports.

 

Gul will visit chambers of industry and commerce in Riyadh and Jeddah, and address Turkish and Saudi businessmen.

 

Speaking before his departure for Saudi Arabia, Gul said he and King Abdullah would discuss the situation in the Middle East after "the tragedy in Gaza" as well as developments in Iraq. Â

 

"We will discuss what we can do together for lasting peace and stability in the region," he told reporters. "I hope this will be a fruitful visit for both sides," Gul added.

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The Turkish president also said trade volume between the two countries currently stands at $5.5 billion, adding the aim is to increase this figure to $10 billion by 2010.

 

"Saudi Arabia is the biggest country in the Gulf region and they plan to make infrastructure investments worth $200 billion by the year 2010. There could be many projects for Turkish businessmen, especially contractors, in Saudi Arabia," Gul said.

 

"We will also hold discussions on cooperation in the defense sector with Saudi Arabia," the Turkish president added.Â

 

"In Riyadh, we hope to meet with some of the more than 100,000 Turkish citizens living in Saudi Arabia," he said.

 

IRANIAN INFLUENCE

The Turkish president suggested in his remarks published on Monday by Saudi newspapers that Iran would not have gained so much influence if Arab states had not left a vacuum on issues affecting the Middle East, such as Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

 

"As a Muslim nation, Iran is entitled to have aspirations and it likes to defend Islamic issues, but Palestine is Arab and there is Sunnism in Palestine, so it is up to Palestinians and Arabs to initiate ... a solution for these issues," Gul was quoted by Reuters telling the Saudi papers.

 

Turkish diplomats told Reuters the Saudi monarch wanted to discuss Gaza with Gul, as well as Iran's growing influence in the region.

 

"We are friends with both (Iran and Saudi Arabia) ... But for us the visit is mainly for business," a Turkish diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

 

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan won Turkey millions of fans in the Arab world last week by storming out of the tense Gaza session with Israel's President Shimon Peres in Davos after the moderator refused to give him the floor to speak.