Gulf-Turkish relations ‘a strategic option’

Manama: Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa on Monday said that closer Gulf-Turkish relations are as a strategic option for the region.

Closer ties are needed amid the regional and international fast-paced developments in order to confront challenges to the region, Prince Khalifa said.

Coordination and cooperation between the Arabian Gulf states and Turkey would improve stability and prosperity, particularly that Ankara has a heavy political weight internationally that makes it highly influential in matters of international security and peace, Prince Khalifa added as he received Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, in Manama.

Prince Khalifa said that Bahrain was looking forward to broadening its relations with Turkey, based on mutual respect and close coordination on regional and international issues.

King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, at a meeting with Davutoglu, said that Turkey had a prominent role in the region and praised its efforts to reinforce regional and international security, stability and peace. He also lauded Turkey’s “honourable stances on Arab and Islamic issues,” Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

Davutoglu said that Turkey was keen on closer ties with the Gulf countries and stressed that their security was a crucial and effective element in the region.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), established in 1981 in Abu Dhabi, brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Relations between the Gulf and Turkey are likely to become closer as the GCC states are evolving their foreign policies to adjust to changing realities in the region and the failure of the international system to provide satisfactory solutions to regional crises and threats.

Relations between the GCC states and Turkey have been steadily progressing and the signing of several agreements related to investments, commerce and tourism have pushed the trade balance from $1.490 billion (Dh5.472 billion) in 2002 to $19.6 billion in 2012.

Davutoglu was in Bahrain to take part in the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) hosted by Bahrain as his country joined the alliance.

“I would like to welcome friendly Turkey as a new member of this Asia Cooperation Dialogue,” Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s foreign minister, said as he opened the meeting. “We are confident that Turkey’s membership of the ACD will consolidate its position as a model of strategic partnership, in light of Turkey’s ancient civilisation, and its strong economic position,” he said.

Shaikh Khalid added that more members could join the Dialogue.

“The Asia Cooperation dialogue (ACD) is established to be an inclusive forum for all Asian countries, and the participation of 33 countries here today makes this fact clear. Nevertheless, the doors remain wide open to accommodate more members. The development of the ACD as a real organisation for strategic cooperation has been realised by the establishment of the Provisional Secretariat in Kuwait to continue the valuable efforts,” he said.

Receiving the participants at the Dialogue, King Hamad said that the “establishment of the ACD in 2002 was a historic beginning that revived the aspirations of our people towards a better tomorrow.”

“We are confident that the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, thanks to your wisdom and your valuable contributions, will carry on with its successful progress to reach appropriate solutions and put forward creative ideas towards deepening solidarity between us. This will empower us, thanks to our strength and capabilities, to deal with international challenges and rapid changes and to keep our security, stability, peace and prosperity,” he said.