Saudi, Turkey boost bilateral ties, trade

In Saudi, Erdogan urges business investments in Turkey, voices support for Palestinians.

RIYADH - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for the Palestinians and called on Saudi businessmen to invest in his country during a trip to the Middle Eastern oil giant.

"There is nothing more natural than for Turkey to show concern for the Palestinians and Gaza, not because we are Muslim but because we are humans," he told a meeting of businessmen in the Saudi capital.

"Would we not send aid to Haiti because they are Christian?" he added on the first full day of his visit to the kingdom, according to the Turkish Anatolia news agency.

Meanwhile Erdogan urged a meeting of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce to "take advantage of the investment environment provided by the Turkish government for foreign investment in all fields, in particular agriculture."

The official SPA news agency said he pledged to boost bilateral trade, which reached nearly five billion dollars in 2008 but reportedly slowed last year.

The Turkish leader is on an official three-day visit with plans for talks with Saudi King Abdullah on bilateral and regional issues, including the Middle East peace process.

He also is due to travel to Jeddah on Wednesday to meet the Turkish head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Erdogan was recently honored by the Saudis with the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam.

He is accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, State Minister Zafer Caglayan, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Energy, Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz and other officials and businessmen.

Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=36738.