Browse > Home / Around The World / Turkey and Saudi Arabia: A New Middle East Partnership?

Turkey and Saudi Arabia: A New Middle East Partnership?

February 7, 2009

Turkey and Saudi Arabia: A New Middle East Partnership? Martin McCauley writes: Turkish President Abdullah Gul was the official guest of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia from 3-5 February. Gul’s entourage included several cabinet ministers and 150 businessmen.

The visit coincides with efforts by the regional powers to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Gaza. Relations between the two Muslim countries have been deepening since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002. Besides the Gaza question, the two leaders discussed matters which concerned the whole Islamic world.

Gul addressed the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia and became the first foreign Muslim leader to do so. He devoted most of his speech to Gaza and the search for peace in the Middle East. He praised the king’s efforts in this regard and said Riyad’s foreign policy was ‘constructive and responsible’.

He supported the Saudi position on the Palestinian question. Israel should withdraw to its 1967 borders in return for the normalisation of relations with its Arab neighbours. Gul emphasised that peace would remain elusive if the various Palestinian factions were not reconciled. Securing a Palestinian state was not the sole responsibility of the Palestinians but of the whole Islamic world. The number one issue was the ‘unity of the Palestinians, the unity of the Arab world and the unity of the Islamic world’.

Gul pointed to growing ‘Islamophobia’ in Western countries. The source of this phenomenon was the perception that Islam and terrorism are indistinguishable. He insisted that Islam was a religion of peace that urged its adherents to respect others.

The Turkish President was delighted to feel at home in Saudi Arabia. The two states were sister states and sister nations. The visits of King Abdullad to Turkey in 2006 and 2007 had underlined Riyad’s ‘extraordinary attention and concern’ for Turkey. Diplomats surmise that Saudi Arabia is keen to establish a strategic partnership with Turkey. This is to counter the growing influence of Iran in the Middle East.

Bilateral economic cooperation was also an important aspect of the trip. They already have agreements on tax exemption, protection of investments and transport. Various new agreements were signed on educational exchanges, greater sporting and youth contacts and maritime transport.

At a meeting with Saudi businessmen, he extended an invitation to them to invest in Turkey. He pointed out the strength of the Turkish banking system which had helped the country to cope well with the world economic meltdown. Turkish construction companies regard the Saudi market as very lucrative. Huge infrastructural programmes are envisaged ad this will provide enormous opportunities for Turkish companies.

Despite all the fine words, Turkey is in urgent need of credits. It is reluctant to approach the IMF for loans because of the stringent conditions which would be attached to government spending. Ankara is keen to attract ‘petrodollars’ or ‘Gulf dollars’ as they are locally called. This money would be used to fund economic development. Gulf money is leaving western banks and Turkish banks hope that some of it will flow into their coffers. The Turks like to think that Gulf money would transform Istanbul into a world financial centre. This would then end the country’s dependence on the IMF. Despite the success of the AKP government in attracting Arab money, Turkey still depends on western financial institutions for most of the money it needs to borrow.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s dramatic walkout at Davos made him a celebrity in the Muslim world. He was a new hero and even elevated to the status of such luminaries as Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt. There was excited speculation in the Turkish press that financial institutions in Saud Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates would pour in money. This would solve all the country’s economic problems at a stroke. This may all turn out to be wishful thinking. However one thing is clear: a new relationship between Saudi Arabia and Turkey is in the making.

Related posts:

  1. Turkey Is Siding With Hamas. What Is The Significance Of This?

    Martin McCauley writes: Turkey was quick to condemn the Israeli air strikes on Gaza, beginning on 27 December. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

  2. The New Realities In The Middle East: Is Turkey Forging A Military Alliance With Syria?

    Martin McCauley writes: A week ago, on April 27, Turkey and Syria began the first ever joint military exercises on their border. The three day...

  3. £50,000 Worth Of Women? No, But It’s An Unusual Insight Into The History Of Saudi Arabia

    By Hazhir Teimourian: There is a famous story about King Abdul Aziz al-Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, wanting to entertain King Farouk of...

  4. China’s Role In The Middle East Is Growing. Lubricated By Oil

    Martin McCauley writes: The vacuum left by the previous US Administration in the Middle East leaves lots of room for other players to occupy. Turkey...

  5. Is Russia Becoming Israel’s New Friend In The Middle East? It Looks Like It

    Martin McCauley writes: Israel’s bombing of Gaza, which began on 27 December, has seemingly placed Russia on the horns of a dilemma. One expected...

Category: Around The World  · No Comments »
Tags: , ,

Would you like to add a comment?