Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received in Jeddah on Monday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Edrogan for official talks that covered bilateral relations and cooperation between their countries.

They also tackled regional and international developments and efforts exerted towards them.

Erdogan had arrived in the Kingdom earlier on Monday on the first leg of a Gulf tour that will also take him to Qatar and then the United Arab Emirates.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Erdogan oversaw the signing of the executive plan for cooperation between their countries in the defense industries, research and development fields.

They also oversaw the signing of Memoranda of Understanding in energy, direct investment and media.

Erdogan is accompanied by several ministers, members of economic and foreign committees and some 200 businessmen and investors. Economic forums will be held in Jeddah, Doha and Abu Dhabi.

Speaking from Istanbul ahead of his departure to the Kingdom, Erdogan said trade exchange between Türkiye and the Gulf had risen over the past 20 years from 1.6 billion to around 22 billion dollars.

He added that his country had made significant strides in improving relations with the Gulf, stressing that it is still pursuing efforts to establish peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Moreover, he hailed the financial and moral support provided by the Gulf to Türkiye in February in wake of the devastating earthquake.

The crises in the region mean that consultations and cooperation are necessary with the Gulf, he went on to say.

Discussions with Saudi, Emirati and Qatari leaders will tackle current regional issues, Erdogan revealed.

Saudi Arabia is one of the most important countries in the region and it enjoys a special standing in several fields, including trade, investments and services, he continued.