Iran Press/ Middle East: After arriving in Doha to attend the fifth meeting of the Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Qatar on Monday to meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
According to Al Jazeera, a joint communique published by the official Qatar News Agency after the meetings, "stressed the importance of the unity of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, especially in light of the challenges surrounding the region and … mutual respect and full sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs."
"Constructive dialogue is the only way to end the current Persian Gulf crisis," it added.
Erdogan said that the construction of a new Turkish military base has been completed in Qatar and it will be named after the Muslim commander Khalid bin Walid.
He spoke to troops at the Turkish base where about 5,000 soldiers have been stationed since a Saudi Arabia-led blockade started more than two years ago. The visit came as local media reported Qatar intends to buy 100 Turkish tanks.
"It [Turkey-Qatar Combined Joint Force Command] serves stability and peace of not only Qatar but also the Persian Gulf region," Erdogan said after meeting troops at the newly finished base.
Ankara and Doha are close regional allies and the countries' leaders enjoy a strong personal relationship.
Economic relations between the two sides have been robust, particularly since 2017, when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt imposed a blockade on Qatar and severed diplomatic relations.
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