Turkey-Saudi cooperation 'essential' to fight Daesh

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA (AA) - Cooperation between Turkey and Saudi Arabia is “essential” to resolve the Syrian conflict, an international relations professor said Wednesday.

Muhittin Ataman, of Ankara’s Yildirim Beyazit University, said: “Turkey-Saudi Arabia sustainable cooperation is essential on Syria. Saudi Arabia left Turkey alone in 2013 and in 2014 on Syria. However, it was revealed that the regional issues became more threatening for Saudi Arabia than it was for Turkey.”

Since King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud came to the throne in 2015, Iranian “expansionist policies” had forced Saudi Arabia to enhance relations with other regional powers such as Turkey, Ataman told Anadolu Agency.

Commenting of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s remarks last week that Syria’s neighbors should provide special forces troops for the eventual assault on Raqqah, Daesh’s Syrian stronghold, Ataman said: “The Turkish government, with its statements, says it considers defending the mainland starting from Aleppo, Hama against Daesh.

“Saudi Arabia, on its thinking, is battling with Yemen. The issue will come to Iraq and Syria for Saudi Arabia as well.”

He added: “The two countries need to keep their positions against Daesh.”