Report: Turkish-Qatari partnership in propaganda, World Cup 2022 security

Turkey and Qatar reached agreements on a wide range of issues, including cooperation in the areas of security and military during Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visit in Istanbul for the Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee meeting last week, the Arab Weekly reported on Friday.

The report added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir agreed on Turkey providing more military supplies to Qatar's military, the integration of Turkish and Qatari security efforts during FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and the building of an international communication and public relations partnership between the two countries, the site said, quoting Turkish sources.

Arab Weekly said that though Ankara and Doha are, reportedly, seeking to "avoid a political escalation with Saudi Arabia and endeavor instead to invest in opportunities of dialogue with the kingdom," it "contrasts sharply with a leak campaign targeting the Saudi leadership.’’

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Part of the Istanbul talks, the sources told Arab Weekly, were geared towards countering the United Arab Emirates’ influence.

Not getting involved in policies that support Iran's destabilizing agenda for the region and greater coordination in dealing with Yemeni and Libyan issues was also agreed to by the two countries, the Arab Weekly said, citing sources.

A common wariness about Washington's growing resentment of the development of closer relations between Qatar and Iran as well as of Erdogan's attempts to resist the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on Tehran was expressed during the meeting.

Turkish website ahvalnews said that “Doha and Ankara, both closely connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, are interested in convincing the US administration to be more accommodating towards the Islamist organization, despite calls in the U.S. Congress to designate the it as a terrorist group.”

The report added that the Qatari Army is set to receive more “Turkish weapons, which means that Turkish experts will likely be sent to Qatar to train soldiers,” adding that Qatar, in return, will increase its investments in Turkey's military industry.