Turkey has rejected the demand of Saudi and its allied Arabic countries to close down its military base in Qatar. Even after the demand by Arab countries, this decision, to close the military base, is not in the agenda, affirmed the defense minister of Turkey. The defense minister also claimed that the military base will only prove to be beneficial to the Arab countries.
Turkey took the leadership to initiate the talks with Saudi and Arab countries after they applied sanctions on Qatar. In the past 2 weeks President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spoken to King Salman of Saudi Arabia. According to the news published in media, on Friday, the Arab countries had a talk with the President Erdoğan before handing the list of demands to Qatar. But by demanding to close Turkey’s base in Qatar, the Arab countries have shown that the relations between Saudi and Turkey are still not normal.
Turkey has 100 of its troops in Qatar. According to an agreement two years back between Qatar and Turkey was told that, in the coming year, 1000 Turkey troops will be deployed in Qatar. It was also told that there will be military exercise between the two countries. Just 2 days ago the Turkey troops and tanks have entered in Qatar.
But the Arab countries are maintaining their demand that Turkey must close its military base and evacuate its soldiers. The turkey defense minister Fikri IŞIK has clearly said that turkey will not shut down its military base in Qatar as per the demand from Arab countries. ‘The deployment of Turkish troops in Qatar is a positive sign. This deployment will prove beneficial to Qatar and Gulf countries’, claimed Fikri. Saudi Arabia has expressed its displeasure previously as well on the Turkey troops in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Egypt has demanded that after putting sanctions on Qatar, the Arab countries should turn its gaze on Turkey. Such news is published in Egypt media since few days.
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