Saudi Arabia said Saturday a Turkish military base similar to that built in neighboring Qatar would not be welcome in the kingdom, insisting it is “not needed”.
The statement came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said he had offered to build a military base in the Muslim kingdom shortly after work began on Turkey’s facility in Qatar.
Ankara is at the forefront of efforts to defuse a diplomatic crisis that led Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain, as well as Egypt and other countries, to sever ties with Qatar, which is a strong ally of Ankara.
“The kingdom cannot allow Turkey to set up a military base on its territory,” said a statement carried by SPA state news agency.
The statement, quoting an unnamed official, said Saudi Arabia “does not need such thing”, adding that its armed forces and military capabilities were “at the best standards”.
Source: AFP
