Establishment of the State of Saudi Arabia, and Turkey-Saudi Arabia relations (1926-1990)

It is clear that the facts like the alliance between Muhammad ibn Saud and Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab in 1744, the weakness of Ottoman Empire at the time being, and the competition between the British and Ottoman Empires had played an important role during the process of Saudi Arabia becoming a state since mid-18th century till 1932. Especially during the World War I, British, who want to have more say in the region, paved the way for Saudis by supporting them. The founder of the State of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Saud, declared himself as the king of Hejaz and Najd in 1926 and changed the name of the state as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd was established in 1926. Turkey in the Treaty of Friendship was signed in August 3, 1929, political independence and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd recognized. However, until the end of 1970s, a notable progress could not been made in the relations between the two countries. The only politically significant progress during this period is considered to be the visit of Faisal the King of Saudi Arabia to Turkey in 1966. In 1980s, a significant mobility was observed in bilateral relations. In 1984, the President Kenan Evren and in 1985 the Prime Minister Turgut Özal visited Saudi Arabia. In response from Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince Abdullah, the current King of Saudi Arabia visited Turkey in 1984. Keywords: Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Ibn Saud, bilateral relations, mutual visits.