Türkiye and Saudi to scrap visa requirements

Turkey and Saudi Arabia plan to sign an agreement to scrap visa requirements for ​their citizens during talks between their foreign ministers ‌in Ankara on Wednesday, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Tuesday.

Relations between Ankara and Riyadh were badly damaged ​after the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi ​at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, after ⁠Turkey accused senior Saudi officials of orchestrating the ​killing. The two sides have taken steps since 2020 ​to repair ties.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, are due to chair a ​meeting of the Turkey‑Saudi Coordination Council, during which ​the accord is expected to be signed for holders of ordinary ‌and ⁠diplomatic passports, the source said.

The source said Fidan would reiterate Turkey's push for "regional ownership" in addressing Middle East issues and stress that Ankara would continue to ​contribute constructively ​to efforts ⁠to end the war in Iran.

He will also underline that developments around the Strait of ​Hormuz should not lead to "new tensions ​and provocations", ⁠the source added.

Ties have improved markedly since 2021, after Turkey dropped its accusations of Saudi state involvement ⁠in ​Khashoggi's killing and launched a broader ​diplomatic effort to mend relations with regional rivals, including Riyadh.

-Reuters