Turkish president arrives in Qatar after Kuwait visit

By Enes Kaplan

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Qatar on Tuesday to discuss regional and international developments as well as Ankara's bilateral relations with Doha.

The president met Qatar's Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, Turkey's Ambassador to Qatar, Fikret Ozer and embassy officials at Doha's Hamad International Airport.

Erdogan was accompanied by a large delegation including his wife Emine Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak.

The president will attend a meeting of Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee in Doha, Ibrahim Kalin, the presidential spokesman said in a statement on Sunday.

Regional and international developments as well as bilateral relations between Turkey and the Gulf countries will also be discussed, the statement added.

Turkey backs Qatar in the Gulf crisis that was triggered in June when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the U.A.E. and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar.

The four states accuse Qatar of supporting terrorist groups -- the allegations Doha denies, describing the embargo as a breach of its national sovereignty.