Erdogan to begin 2-day Gulf tour Sunday

By Ilkay Guder

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will begin his two-day tour to the Gulf on Sunday as part of his efforts to resolve the ongoing diplomatic crisis in the region, according to the presidential press office.

Erdogan will visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar between Sunday and Monday, the office said in a statement.

His first stop will be in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Sunday during which he will meet Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud and his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud.

The Turkish president will then depart for Kuwait and later Qatar, and will meet Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, respectively.

Relations among gulf countries will be “extensively” on the agenda and leaders are expected to exchange views on regional and international issues, and present a solution to end regional tensions, the office said.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar last month, and imposed a sea and land blockade while accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Doha denies the accusation of terrorism and contends the blockade is a violation of international law.