Saudi, Turkish interior ministers discuss security cooperation in Ankara

ANKARA — Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif met with his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Çiftçi, in Ankara on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen security cooperation and coordination between the two countries.The meeting was followed by official talks during which Prince Abdulaziz emphasized that the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman underscore the importance of continuing to enhance security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.He said the longstanding historical and fraternal ties between the two countries had become a model for cooperation and coordination across various fields.Prince Abdulaziz also said the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, reflected the depth of Saudi-Turkish relations and the alignment of their strategic interests and priorities amid the current geopolitical environment.He described the agreement as an important step demonstrating the wisdom of both countries' leadership in addressing regional crises.The talks also addressed ways to strengthen security cooperation in areas of mutual interest, intensify efforts to counter terrorist and extremist groups, and combat cross-border crimes, including drug smuggling and trafficking.Both sides stressed the importance of further developing their security partnership, coordinating efforts on security issues and expanding cooperation in areas of shared concern to meet the aspirations of the two countries' leaderships.