Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey and Qatar will do their best to turn the Middle East into a "peace basin" and underlined the alliance between Turkey and Qatar in Doha on Wednesday, Today's Zaman reported.
Paying a one-day visit to Qatar, Erdogan discussed the latest developments in the Middle East as well as trade and economic relations between the two countries with Qatari officials. He also attended the opening of the Turkish embassy building in Doha.
"Turkey and Qatar share the same opinions on regional and international issues. We have been doing our best to make the region become a peace basin," the Turkish prime minster said at the embassy building opening.
Erdogan also met with the Qatari emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and discussed the situation in Syria and the developments in Egypt and Palestine.
Qatar and Turkey have adopted a similar diplomatic stance toward the Syrian conflict. They are the two countries that most staunchly desire the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Both countries have hosted a series of meetings to find a solution to the crisis. The stances of Qatar and Turkey were also the same on the Egyptian coup. Qatar, along with Turkey, had given strong financial and diplomatic support to ousted President Mohammed Morsi's government.
Saying that the relations between Turkey and Qatar have reached a high level with bilateral visits, Erdogan underlined the friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries and said they should be developed with reciprocal investments. Emphasizing that inter-social and cultural relations have been increasing day by day, Erdogan announced that Turkey will open a Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Qatar in a short time.
Erdogan exchanged views with Qatari officials mainly on issues of energy, security and the economy as well as other regional and international developments. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan also accompanied Erdogan during his visit to Qatar. During the meeting of the Turkish prime minister and Qatari emir, Turkey's Electricity Generation Company and Qatar Holding signed an energy cooperation agreement.
Erdogan was also scheduled to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited Qatar on Nov. 23 and 24 to prepare the groundwork for the prime minister's visit.