Turkish FM discuss in Saudi Arabia developments in the region

Turkey's foreign minister Ismael Cim on Saturday started an official visit to Saudi Arabia which will last for two days during which he will hold talks on the developments of conditions on the Palestinian arena.

A well-informed Saudi source said that Cim's visit to al-Riyadh comes at the invitation he had received from his Saudi counterpart prince Saud al- Faisal. The source added that the Saudi minister discussed with his Turkish counterpart, immediately upon his arrival " means of developing relations between the two countries as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern."

The Saudi source continued that the two ministers also dealt with " several international issues, the situation in the region, especially the continued Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people and the killing of more Palestinians." He explained that prince Saud stressed to his Turkish counterpart that " peace will not be achieved in the region only through Israel's withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories and the establishment of the state of Palestine with Jerusalem as a capital and the return back of the Palestinian refugees to their homeland."

However, the Saudi- Turkish relations were during the past years characterized by " coolness" especially after Ankara had signed a defense agreement with Israel which will Cim visit this week.