Saudi Arabia–Turkey relations

Saudi Arabian–Turkish relations

Saudi Arabia
Turkey

Saudi Arabian–Turkish relations refer to the current and historical relationship between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The countries enjoy a friendly economic relationship.[1] The former has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate–general in Istanbul; while the latter has an embassy in Riyadh and a consulate–general in Jeddah. Both countries are full members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

According to a 2013 Pew global opinion poll, Turks hold the most negative view of Saudi Arabia out of any surveyed Muslim country, with 26% expressing a favourable view and 53% expressing an unfavourable view.[2]

History

The Ottoman Empire controlled the Hejaz region of modern Saudi Arabia, for nearly 400 years along with other provinces in the region. Also, the ottomans had conflicts with Emirate of Dhiriyah, the first Saudi state which resulted to the Ottoman-Wahhabi war. Many Saudi leaders were executed in Istanbul or killed during the war.

Modern history

The relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia was established since 1932, after the creation of the new Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Due to the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis, the relationship between Turkey and Saudi Arabia faces problems, with Turkey supporting Qatar against Saudi Arabia in the ongoing diplomatic dispute.

Some geoeconomics experts have argued that the Turkish government has sought to use the crisis to its own advantage, by advancing an expansionist Neo-Ottoman agenda at the expense of the GCC:

“Turkey and a resurgent Iran for their part are cynically using the festering crisis to advance a distinct agenda: rebuilding military and economic beachheads along the ‘eastern flank’ of the Arabian Peninsula from Oman to Southern Iraq, a part of the world from which they were forced out by the Royal Navy in 1917, precisely one hundred years ago. The local chess board is getting crowded with too many avid players, at a time when many British and American policy makers seem to have lost interest in that part of the world: this doesn’t bode well for the long-term stability of the MENA.”[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Saudi Arabia/Turkey: Turkish Trade Minister commends Saudi-Turkish relations International Islamic News Agency, 8 February 2010
  2. ↑ Saudi Arabia’s Image Falters among Middle East Neighbors Pew Research Global Attitudes Project
  3. ↑ Firzli, M. Nicolas (17 June 2017). "The Qatar Crisis and the Eastern Flank of the Arab World". Retrieved 18 July 2017 – via Al Sharq Al Awsat www.academia.edu.


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