Alwaght- After a decade of tensions, the Saudi and Turkish relations are seeing a new chapter as Riyadh and Ankara are putting on their agenda boosting their cooperation at all levels. To this end,the Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Talal bin Abdullah al-Otaibi led a high-ranking delegation to Turkey. They held meetings with Turkish officials, on top of them Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. In their meetings, the two sides highlighted the importance of military cooperation and implementation of the agreements signed between the two countries for the good of common interests and regional security and stability. Al-Otaibi also had a separate meeting with the deputy defense minister of Turkey with whom he discussed the situation in the region and ways to strengthen defense cooperation between Riyadh and Ankara.
According to Saudi media outlets, al-Otaibi also met with the Chief of General Staff of Turkish Armed Forces Yaşar Güler, discussing with him bilateral efforts to support regional security and peace. Al-Otaibi and Güler also agreed to cooperate in military training and joint military exercises. In continuation of his meetings with the Turkish authorities, al-Otaibi met and talked with Ismail Demir, the head of Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) at his office. The Saudi delegation also visited the Turkish weapons production factories and was given explanations about their work. In addition to the Saudi defense official, the speaker of Saudi parliament also visited Turkey and held meetings with senior officials there.
The Saudi visits to Turkey are part of a de-escalation process initiated months ago by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan visited the Arab kingdom in April after years and discussed with the Saudis ways to expand ties. His visit was responded by a visit to Ankara by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with both sides insisting on a new era in their economic, political, and military relations.
The Turkish support to the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its affiliates at the beginning of Arab uprisings separated Ankara from the Arab regimes that deemed MB ideology a threat to their thrones. Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia and Turkey backed opposite sides in various regional cases, however since beginning of this year, they sought to put their differences aside.
When Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies sanctioned Qatar, Turkey sent thousands of troops to the Arab emirate in support of Doha that feared possible Saudi-sponsored coup. This Ankara move aroused the ire of Riyadh. Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which consider themselves to be the main players in the region, find the rival’s power gain a threat to their national interests, and in recent years, the actions they took showed this reality well.
In retaliation to the Turkish pro-Qatari moves, Saudi Arabia stood by Greece in Ankara-Athens tensions over disputed islands and held two air drills with Greek air force, drawing Turkish fury. Even according to the agreements, the Greek Patriot missile systems were to be deployed in Saudi Arabia, and it was a kind of warning to Ankara that Saudis have options to deal with its rival.
Saudi eyes on Turkish military capabilities
Turkish-Saudi military relations boost comes as the two countries have so far had no cooperation in this area and even their military actions were parallel to each other, but now, for some reasons, the Saudis need Turkey. Saudi Arabia has recently embarked on the policy of finding new allies in the region and the world in order to improve its security position. Following the chill that has been overshadowing the relations between Saudi Arabia and the US in recent months and American threats to cut off arms exports to the kingdom, bin Salman claimed that his country will be self-sufficient in the arms production in the next few years. So, in order to achieve this goal, he is focusing on partnership with countries that have much to say in arms industry. Saudi Arabia does not have any significant infrastructure in weapons industries and plans to use Turkey’s capabilities in this area to cut its dependence on the West.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia tried to form a regional coalition against Iran with the help of the US in which countries like Turkey were also to be present, but this issue did not go according to the Saudi wishes, and many countries refused to join this coalition, leading to the project’s failure. In reaction, the Saudis moved to improve bilateral relations with regional rivals with the aim of building alliances. Due to Turkey’s economic weakness in recent years and on the eve of the country’s presidential elections, which are highly vital for Erdogan personally, the Saudis, using their petrodollars, intend to exploit Turkey’s military achievements by investing in Turkey’s embattled economy. And Ankara, which finds itself in a lower position and in need for Saudi investment, seeks to support Saudis in military technologies.
Pushing to drag Turkey into Yemen crisis
Struggling in a self-made Yemen quagmire, Saudi Arabia is trying to turn the tide on the battleground in its favor with help from regional states. Although Turkey is not present in Yemen militarily, in recent years it had condemned attacks by Yemeni Ansarullah Movement on Saudi Arabia. After Biden assumed the power, the White House banned assistance by American military advisors and pilots to Saudi campaign. The decision grounded a number of Saudi fighter jets. The Saudis turned to Turkey to mend this weakness but so far no key agreement has been signed for Turkish military advisor deployment to Yemen war. The Saudis are trying to drag Turkey into this crisis, and the fact that the Riyadh officials in their meeting with the Ankara officials emphasized the training of the Saudi military forces and the strengthening of peace and stability in the region indicates that they want the presence of Turkish advisers in Yemen war. Saudi Arabia is left alone in Yemen and needs foreign help to overcome this self-made crisis.
Weapons purchases from Turkey
Riyadh is eyeing diversification of its arms suppliers and Turkey can considerably help it in this case. Turkey has made breakthroughs in drone industry in recent years and even supplied large numbers to Ukraine used in war against Russia. Although the Saudis have not commented on drone purchases from Turkey, very likely Riyadh is one of the parties Ankara is counting on for drone sales. Saudi Arabia gets its arms from various countries, on top of them the US, but in the time of tensions with Washington, it turns head to others to avoid disruptions to its military supply chains.
What is Turkey after?
Turkish leaders seek their own goals behind boosting ties with Saudi Arabia. After Ukraine crisis, Turkey, through diplomatic moves by Erdogan, is defining itself the global leader in pro-peace initiatives and tries to bring West Asian countries, especially the Arab states, to its camp. After all, as the US reduces its presence in the region, space will be opened for such countries as Turkey to play a role. Turkey has already started military presence in the Persian Gulf by establishing a military base in Qatar and military drills with Saudi Arabia and other countries can help it realize its dream of West Asia leadership. Also, influence in the Persian Gulf Arab monarchies, in addition to providing a lucrative market for Turkish weapons, will help Ankara work off the owings of the Arabs that supported it financially in the difficult times of economic crisis.
Despite the fact that outlook of bilateral relations looks clear due to the boost of Saudi-Turkish economic and military ties, given the contradictions in their policies, Ankara and Riyadh would be, at best, tactical partners, and as long as they cling to their claims of Muslim world leadership, talking about strategic relationship between the two is pointless. From another perspective, it cannot be counted on Erdogan’s largely erratic and contradictory policies as it is unclear if after reelection he would continue his normalization path with the Arab countries or reroute to his past regional policies.
