Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan stated that his country and Saudi Arabia agreed to develop trade and economic cooperation.
Erdogan had paid a visit to the Kingdom on Thursday, his first in five years. He met with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
In remarks to the press that was traveling with him, he described his two-day visit as "successful."
Erdogan said he conveyed to the Saudi leadership Turkish proposals in the defense industry and shifting it to production instead of consumption.
He stated that production could take place in Turkey or Saudi Arabia and even a third country.
"Turkey has the technology and Saudi Arabia has the capital," he remarked.
"We must move towards production and we hope the Islamic world will also be productive and open to new markets," he continued.
Moreover, Erdogan said talks in Saudi Arabia reviewed all aspects of bilateral relations with Turkey. He also exchanged views with officials on regional and international issues. They discussed the joint steps they can take to develop ties.
Erdogan reiterated Turkey's support to the security and stability of the Kingdom.
The stability of Turkey and the Arab Gulf are indivisible, he declared.
He told reporters that he discussed the importance of developing trade relations and overcoming customs obstacles. He stressed the need to boost investment and back new projects, adding that Turkey supports Saudi Arabia's bid to host Expo 2030
He expressed his confidence that his visit to the Kingdom would pave the way for a new chapter in relations between Riyadh and Ankara.
"We clearly voiced our joint desire to develop bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust," he explained
"We are determined to forge ahead for the sake of our joint interests and the stability of the region," he remarked.
"We must embark on a new chapter with countries with whom we share similar ideas and beliefs. It is a period of making friends, not making enemies," he stated.
