Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is visiting Turkey for the first time since the 2018 murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold one-on-one talks with Mohammed bin Salman aimed at repairing a deep rift.
Mr Erdogan once indirectly accused the prince of ordering Saudi agents to kill Khashoggi. He denied any involvement. The visit comes as Turkey seeks trade, investment and assistance to help it deal with a worsening economic crisis. It has also worked to improve relations with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Israel after years of tensions.
Prince Mohammed meanwhile wants to end his international isolation and restore his powerful regional role. He also visited Jordan and Egypt this week as part of a Middle East tour and next month will meet US President Joe Biden, who promised in 2019 to make Saudi Arabia “the pariah that they are” over Khashoggi’s murder.
Credit: bbc.com
