We expect Saudi Arabia to lift visa requirement for Turkish citizens, says Economy Minister Caglayan

RIYADH (A.A) - December 25, 2011 - Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said Sunday that Saudi Arabia should lift visa requirement for Turkish citizens throughout the year and not just during the Hajj season. Speaking at a meeting organized by Turkey's Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) in Riyadh, Caglayan said that he held a bilateral meeting with the Saudi Arabian Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabia. During my talks with al-Rabia, we discussed the issue of visas for Turkish businesspeople. Our Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lifted the visa requirement for Saudi Arabian citizens so that Saudi Arabian businessmen could come to Turkey easily. We expect Saudi Arabia to lift visa requirement for Turkish citizens, Caglayan underlined. Turkey and Saudi Arabia share historic ties. Saudi Arabia has extended an helping hand during the most difficult days of Turkey. We are thankful to Saudi Arabia for presenting 50 million USD as assistance to the earthquake victims in the eastern province of Van, Caglayan noted. Minister Caglayan later attended a signature ceremony for a memorandum of understanding on the construction business.