DOHA, Nov 26 (NNN-QNA) – Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, arrived in Qatar Monday, on his first official trip to an Arab country, since Ankara’s forces intervened in northeast Syria last month.
Ankara and Doha have grown closer since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with their former Gulf ally more than two years ago.
However, Erdogan’s visit comes at a critical time, amid signs of a possible breakthrough in the crisis between Qatar and its neighbours — in what could be pushing Ankara to further bolster its political and economic relations with Doha.
Erdogan will attend the fifth meeting of the Qatar-Turkey Higher Strategic Committee, at the invitation of Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
The two countries are expected to sign a number of deals during Erdogan’s third visit to Qatar, since the Saudi-led blockade began in Jun, 2017.
Erdogan is also expected to visit a Turkish military base, where around 5,000 troops have been stationed since the Saudi-led blockade, amid reports that Qatar intends to buy 100 Turkish tanks.
Doha declared its support for Ankara, after it launched an offensive on Oct 9, against a Syrian Kurdish militia, but Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, condemned Turkey’s “aggression.”
Andreas Krieg, a professor at King’s College London, said, the Qataris were put in a “tough situation” when Turkey launched its operation against Syrian Kurdish forces, considered by Ankara to be “terrorists.”
“They acknowledged Turkey’s right to defend itself, while disagreeing about the means and ways used by Ankara in pursuit of this objective,” he said.
After the Gulf crisis erupted, Turkey was at the forefront of nations supplying Qatar with food and services, bypassing the blockade imposed by the Saudi-led nations.
Qatar last year announced a $15-billion loan to Turkey’s fragile banking sector, and also gave a luxury jumbo jet — reportedly worth around $400 million — as a “gift” to Ankara.
However, the decision by football teams from the Saudi-led bloc, to play at a tournament in Qatar, could herald a rapprochement.
The Saudi and UAE squads arrived on Monday, to compete in the Arabian Gulf tournament in Doha, from Nov 26 (today), despite their nations’ two-year boycott of Qatar.
Bahrain also said it would take part.– NNN-QNA