Clearday-TRForce
08-07-2006, 10:45 AM
‘This is the first visit by a Saudi king to Turkey since King Faisal last visited Istanbul in 1966 to solidify efforts of the Muslim world,’ says Saudi Ambassador to Turkey Al-Hussaini
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
Saudi King Abdullah will start an official three-day visit to Turkey tomorrow at the invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the first visit to the country by a Saudi king in four decades.
The visit to Turkey will be King Abdullah's fifth to a foreign country since he ascended to the throne on Aug. 1, 2005. He earlier paid visits to China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan.
Saudi Ambassador to Turkey Mohammed Al-Hussaini told the English-language online daily Arab News that the two countries would be signing seven agreements, including agreements on duties, trade and transport during the visit.
Some 400 delegates including several members of the royal family, ministers, high-ranking officials and a large number of Saudi businessmen will accompany the king, the Arab News reported yesterday.
Sezer will host a state banquet in the Turkish capital tomorrow evening in honor of King Abdullah, the daily said, noting that the king is also expected to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday in Istanbul.
“This is the first visit by a Saudi king to Turkey since King Faisal last visited Istanbul in 1966 to solidify efforts of the Muslim world,” Al-Hussaini was quoted as telling the Arab News.
Since then, several Turkish presidents and prime ministers have visited Saudi Arabia, including nonofficial visits to perform Umrah or Haj, he said.
He described King Abdullah's visit as a turning point for both Saudi Arabia and Turkey, not only because it comes from the Saudi side after such a long period but also because it was timely due to the escalation of violence in the Middle East. He said among the topics for discussion between King Abdullah and Turkish officials would be the situations in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq.
Turkey was the first Muslim country to recognize the state of Israel in 1948, and Al-Hussaini said there was no reason to stop Turkey from the role it can play in the region despite its relations with Israel.
“Turkey can play a role of a mediator since it has good relations with the Israelis and the Palestinians,” he said. “Turkey is also a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC].”
King Abdullah and Erdoğan are expected to address a joint Turkish-Saudi business meeting in Istanbul on Thursday, Turkey's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Uğur Doğan, told the daily.
The meeting in Istanbul is a joint organization by the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI) and the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchange's (TOBB) Foreign Economic Relation Board.
“With these agreements signed, the two countries are all set to enter a new era of bilateral relations,” Doğan told the daily. He said the agreements would help boost commercial links between Riyadh and Ankara. He also said that Riyadh and Ankara had forged closer relations with two-way trade exceeding SR9.3 billion annually.
The balance of trade has been in favor of the Kingdom. Ankara's imports from Saudi Arabia represent 83 percent of total Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) imports from Turkey. More than 32,000 Saudi businessmen and tourists visited Turkey last year.
Turkey last year signed a framework economic cooperation agreement with the oil-rich GCC that will pave the way for a free trade pact between Ankara and the six-nation bloc.
Diplomatic observers say Saudi Arabia is the most cautious country in terms of investing in Turkey. With the landmark visit, Ankara expects a significant change in Riyadh's approach to the issue.
Another Arab daily, Al-Hayat, said the Saudi monarch will “probably” go on to make an official visit to Spain at the invitation of King Juan Carlos, but gave no details. Riyadh and Madrid announced in April that Saudi and Spanish firms would set up a $5 billion joint investment fund following the signing of an agreement to promote and protect investments.
regards,
CDTRF
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
Saudi King Abdullah will start an official three-day visit to Turkey tomorrow at the invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the first visit to the country by a Saudi king in four decades.
The visit to Turkey will be King Abdullah's fifth to a foreign country since he ascended to the throne on Aug. 1, 2005. He earlier paid visits to China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan.
Saudi Ambassador to Turkey Mohammed Al-Hussaini told the English-language online daily Arab News that the two countries would be signing seven agreements, including agreements on duties, trade and transport during the visit.
Some 400 delegates including several members of the royal family, ministers, high-ranking officials and a large number of Saudi businessmen will accompany the king, the Arab News reported yesterday.
Sezer will host a state banquet in the Turkish capital tomorrow evening in honor of King Abdullah, the daily said, noting that the king is also expected to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday in Istanbul.
“This is the first visit by a Saudi king to Turkey since King Faisal last visited Istanbul in 1966 to solidify efforts of the Muslim world,” Al-Hussaini was quoted as telling the Arab News.
Since then, several Turkish presidents and prime ministers have visited Saudi Arabia, including nonofficial visits to perform Umrah or Haj, he said.
He described King Abdullah's visit as a turning point for both Saudi Arabia and Turkey, not only because it comes from the Saudi side after such a long period but also because it was timely due to the escalation of violence in the Middle East. He said among the topics for discussion between King Abdullah and Turkish officials would be the situations in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq.
Turkey was the first Muslim country to recognize the state of Israel in 1948, and Al-Hussaini said there was no reason to stop Turkey from the role it can play in the region despite its relations with Israel.
“Turkey can play a role of a mediator since it has good relations with the Israelis and the Palestinians,” he said. “Turkey is also a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC].”
King Abdullah and Erdoğan are expected to address a joint Turkish-Saudi business meeting in Istanbul on Thursday, Turkey's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Uğur Doğan, told the daily.
The meeting in Istanbul is a joint organization by the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI) and the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchange's (TOBB) Foreign Economic Relation Board.
“With these agreements signed, the two countries are all set to enter a new era of bilateral relations,” Doğan told the daily. He said the agreements would help boost commercial links between Riyadh and Ankara. He also said that Riyadh and Ankara had forged closer relations with two-way trade exceeding SR9.3 billion annually.
The balance of trade has been in favor of the Kingdom. Ankara's imports from Saudi Arabia represent 83 percent of total Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) imports from Turkey. More than 32,000 Saudi businessmen and tourists visited Turkey last year.
Turkey last year signed a framework economic cooperation agreement with the oil-rich GCC that will pave the way for a free trade pact between Ankara and the six-nation bloc.
Diplomatic observers say Saudi Arabia is the most cautious country in terms of investing in Turkey. With the landmark visit, Ankara expects a significant change in Riyadh's approach to the issue.
Another Arab daily, Al-Hayat, said the Saudi monarch will “probably” go on to make an official visit to Spain at the invitation of King Juan Carlos, but gave no details. Riyadh and Madrid announced in April that Saudi and Spanish firms would set up a $5 billion joint investment fund following the signing of an agreement to promote and protect investments.
regards,
CDTRF