Saudi has ‘similar stance’ with Turkey on region

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said on Thursday that Riyadh has “similar stance” with Turkey regarding Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

In a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, during his visit to Ankara, Jubeir said stances of Turkey and Saudi “fully coincide with each other regarding Syria, Iraq or Yemen, including terrorism.”

Jubeir described that the plan put forth by the Syrian opposition is “detailed” and “complete,” and said President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was still rejecting a political solution.

On Wednesday, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Syria’s main opposition negotiating group, said it would reject any deal struck by Russia and the United States on Syria’s fate that was very different from its own proposed transition plan.

The HNC said its proposed process would start with six months of negotiations to set up a transitional administration made up of figures from the opposition, the government and civil society. It would require President Bashar al-Assad to leave office at the end of those six months.

الجبير وشاوش

Meanwhile, Jubeir said Saudi and Turkey were “the first two states who cooperated to back the Syrian opposition since day one.”

He also said Saudi “looks forward” to work with Turkey on these “common issues,” vowing that Riyadh will gives Ankara full support on fighting terrorism.

Jubeir also extended his “thanks” to Ankara’s “supportive stance in terms of pilgrimage.”

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed his appreciation for Saudi’s support to Ankara following the failed coup in Turkey when a rogue military faction tried to oust the Turkish president from power on July 15.

Turkey launched an incursion on Aug. 24 into Syria - the so-called Euphrates Shield operation - to back Syrian rebels in their fight to push ISIS out of the town of Jarablus and to limit the Syrian Kurdish militia forces’ advance west of the Euphrates River.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Wednesday that the Turkey-backed rebel forces may go deeper into Syria after securing a 90 km (56 mile) stretch of land along the Turkish border.