Erdogan tells Muslim states to stand together

AMMAN Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday asked Muslim countries to increase cooperation with each other. He made the remarks during a visit to Jordanian capital Amman, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the countries. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Speaking during a meeting between delegations from both countries at the Al Hussainiah Palace, Erdogan said the Islamic world was going through difficult times. “We, the Islamic world, are living in difficult times. As Muslims, we must maintain solidarity in the region,” Erdogan said. Earlier on Monday, Erdogan held one-on-one talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II at his palace in Amman, and discussed the situation in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories. “I know my brother is concerned about Palestine,” Erdogan said, referring to the king. Jordan is the custodian of the mosque compound in east Jerusalem, the third holiest site for Muslims. “We will continue to support Jordan's role in preserving Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem,” said Erdogan. He added that Turkey and Jordan would continue to work together to ensure that the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque is not violated. Abdullah thanked Erdogan for his decisive attitude on the Al-Aqsa incident and support to Jordan. Last month, Israel imposed fresh security measures at Al-Aqsa following the killing of two police officers at the site. The measures, including metal detectors and cameras, led to renewed violence between Palestinians and security forces and led to outrage across the Muslim world. Speaking about his meeting with Erdogan, he said that they had discussed bilateral issues. “We have discussed issues related to our countries on the 70th anniversary of our historic relations. We will continue to develop our relations in political, economic, military, social and security sectors," the king said.