RIYADH, 6 June 2004 — Saudi Arabia and Turkey have finalized an agreement on land transport to boost trade between the two countries, Turkish Ambassador Ugur Dogan said.
Dogan said the agreement, which seeks to facilitate the entry of private cars and trucks in Saudi and Turkish territories from any land route, would at the same time help curb movement of infiltrators and terrorists.
He said the Saudi border post of Arar on the Iraqi border, which was to open on June 1, will be one of the access points used by Turkish and Saudi drivers. The draft agreement prescribes no single route.
The ambassador said the agreement would probably be signed in September-October this year.
Dogan was keen to allay fears that facilitating access would encourage movement of terrorists. Rather, the agreement would help to monitor terror groups and their activities.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey are about separately to sign an agreement to fight terrorism, which was announced during the visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to Jeddah last week.
Turkish Minister of Interior Abdulkadir Aksu will visit the Kingdom later this year to sign the accord, which also targets drug trafficking.
Dogan said the Kingdom and Turkey stepped up anti-terror cooperation following the terrorist shootouts and bombings in Istanbul and Riyadh during the last year.
