Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that he plans to pay a return visit to the UAE in February. Speaking to reporters on his return from a trip to Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat, Erdoğan said a large-scale delegation would accompany him.
“We had a meeting with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2011. After that, we went through some different periods, but we did not completely break away. At least, our intelligence agencies continued their talks. Meanwhile, our trade relations have also continued,” Erdoğan said.
Expressing his pleasure about the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s visit, Erdoğan emphasized the significance of agreements inked with the UAE. According to him, those agreements are sincere steps that would signal a new era between the two countries.
The Turkish President also stated that before his visit, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and head of National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan would travel to the Gulf country.
“Then, in February, I hope, I will go with a large delegation and we will take some strong steps. The UAE presented a $10 billion investment plan. By putting this investment plan into practice, we will build a very different future,” Erdoğan highlighted.
As a response to a question regarding relations with Israel and Egypt, the Turkish President underlined that it is needed to be decided on the direction of relations with those countries before the appointments of ambassadors.
Highlighting the fact that Turkey’s diplomatic relations with the aforementioned countries are at the charge d’affaires level, President Erdoğan noted, “We will be taking steps gradually based on a certain calendar. We will take similar steps with others, just as we have taken with the UAE.”
