Diplomatic sources revealed intense dissatisfaction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with the recent rapprochement of the United Arab Emirates with Turkey.
Media Line reported that bin Salman was distraught with the speed of restoring relations between Ankara and Abu Dhabi. There is a feeling that Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed is drawing up his regional plan without consulting Saudi Arabia.
In recent years, relations between Riyadh and Ankara have deteriorated, with the two countries at odds in several regional conflicts and the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.
The site highlighted that the prospects for Saudi-Turkish rapprochement seem brighter with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s announcement that he will travel to Saudi Arabia next month.
“They expect me in February,” Erdogan said a few days ago. They made a promise, and I will visit Saudi Arabia next February.”
This will be the first visit by the Turkish leader since the killing of Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018, who was a critic of Saudi leaders. The killing of Khashoggi has tightened the diplomatic, commercial and tourism sectors between the two countries.
Last year, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that talks about improving relations with the kingdom still go on through various channels.
Cavusoglu was in Saudi Arabia in May for the first time since Khashoggi’s murder.
Erdogan’s visit comes amid rising inflation in Turkey to its highest level since Erdogan came to power nearly two decades ago. At the same time, the lira continues its out-of-control downward spiral.
A Saudi official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh told the Media Line that the monarchy is not satisfied with the speedy progress of restoring relations between Ankara and Abu Dhabi, hinting that Riyadh is “dissatisfied with Abu Dhabi.”
“There is a feeling that bin Zayed is drawing up his own regional plan,” he said. He is getting close to Iran, Turkey and Syria. All of this is happening without consulting with the Saudis.”
After years of tension and hostility, relations between Ankara and other Gulf countries have recently witnessed a significant thaw in relations.
In the past two years, Turkey has been trying to mend fences with its regional rivals, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
MBS dissatisfaction regarding UAE and Turkey's rapprochement
Diplomatic sources revealed intense dissatisfaction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with the recent rapprochement of the UAE and Turkey
saudileaks.org
