PM Davutoğlu pays visit to Saudi Arabia to further consolidate regional ties

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, including Syria, at a time when the two countries have committed to increasing reciprocal ties and the level of cooperation in the region following King Salman's ascension to the throne. Starting his trip in Jeddah before proceeding to Mecca, Davutoğlu will make his way to Riyadh over the weekend to meet with King Salman and senior Saudi officials. Davutoğlu is accompanied by Deputy Prime Ministers Yalçın Akdoğan and Lütfi Elvan, Economy Minister Mustafa Elitaş, Interior Minister Efkan Ala and other top officials including National Intelligence Agency (MİT) Chief Hakan Fidan.

The visit includes talks to find a resolution in Syria. The two countries have a common basis in conducting policies concerning the crisis, with both supporting the opposition.

Davutoğlu is paying the visit at a time when tensions between Riyadh and Tehran are at a rare high after Saudi Arabia's execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Jan. 2. Later on predominantly Shiite Iranian protesters torched Saudi missions in Tehran and Mashad to protest the execution. After this development, Saudi Arabia announced the cutting of diplomatic ties with Iran. The country was also supported by the Gulf countries.

Regarding the rift, Ankara has previously expressed concerns over the attacks on Saudi missions, calling them "unacceptable." "As per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, diplomatic and consular mission buildings have total immunity, and countries that accept this convention have the responsibility of providing security for these missions," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on its website.

It further said that Turkey had called for an end to threatening language and a return to diplomacy, urging mutual caution. "Turkey wants the tension between the two countries to not reflect negatively on the security, stability and peace of the region," the statement said.

It is also expected that recent developments in Iraq and Yemen and counterterrorism efforts will be on the agenda of the meeting between Davutoğlu and Salman.

The prime minister will pay a further visit to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah.

Since the death of King Abdullah on Jan. 23, 2014, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have continued to maintain strong relations with the new king. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the country in the last days of December, something described by political analysts as an attempt to mend relations with both countries' leaders having shown their willingness to put political disagreements aside and foster better bilateral relations.