Riyadh, Ankara – Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council States will meet with their Turkish counterpart on Thursday to discuss ways to promote bilateral cooperation between the GCC and Turkey and the best means to fight terrorism.

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Turkish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Yunus Demirer said Thursday’s meeting in Riyadh falls within the strategic dialogue between the GCC and Turkey that was launched in 2008, noting that foreign ministers will discuss mutual relations in the political economic and commercial areas, as well as the situation in Syria, Iraq and Yemen and the Middle East peace process.

Demirer added that the foreign ministers will also explore the best means to fight terrorism and extremism.
Meanwhile, GCC Secretary General Abdulatif Al-Zayani told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting will be co-chaired by Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Adel Al-Jubeir and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

He added that ministers will discuss the means to promote bilateral cooperation in the different fields, in addition to current political affairs and latest security and political developments in the region.

The meeting will also tackle international efforts to fight terrorism, Al-Zayani said.

Relations between the GCC and Turkey have seen a great boost over the past two years. Eight Gulf-Turkish summits were held in 2015, during which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Arab leaders.

Last month, Turkish Minister of Development Lutfi Elvan revealed during his tour across the GCC that his country seeks to hammer a free trade agreement with the Gulf countries.