Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have vowed to reset relations, to end a conflict between the two regional heavyweights.
Erdogan met with the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to “develop” relations. Saudi state news agency SPA on Thursday published images of the Turkish leader embracing Prince Mohammed.
The pair “reviewed the Saudi-Turkish relations and ways to develop them in all fields”, SPA reported.
Pictures published by Turkish state media also showed a separate sit-down with King Salman, the crown prince’s father.
On Friday, Erdogan visited the Muslim holy city of Mecca, where he performed a pilgrimage among thousands of worshipers amid a heavy security presence.
The trip came as Turkey, facing an economic crisis fueled by the collapse of its currency and soaring inflation, tries to draw financial support from energy-rich Gulf countries.
– ‘Mutual interest’ –
Prior to flying to Saudi Arabia, Erdogan said he hoped “to launch a new era” in bilateral ties.
“We believe enhancing cooperation in areas including defense and finance is in our mutual interest,” Erdogan said.
Trade between the two has been gradually improving, and in January Erdogan said he was planning a visit to Saudi Arabia.
Turkey has suffered an annual inflation rate topping 60 percent and a wave of winter street protests, that have hurt Erdogan’s popularity ahead of a general election next year.
Erdogan is now seeking backing from Gulf countries, with which he has been at odds in the decade since the Arab Spring revolts.
In February, he traveled to the United Arab Emirates for the first time in nearly a decade, and called on wealthy business leaders to invest in Turkey.
The last time Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia was in 2017, when he tried to mediate a dispute pitting the kingdom and other Gulf countries against Qatar.