In a sign that the tension between former middle eastern allies turned enemies may be ending, on Wednesday Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman spoke on the phone with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (after a request by the Saudi) according to statement from Erdogan’s office.
According to Anadolu, the discussion focused on shedding light on killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and steps that should be taken
#BREAKING Turkish President Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Salman discuss joint efforts to clarify all aspects of Khashoggi killing in phone call
— ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) October 24, 2018
The phone all took place just one day after Erdogan accused MbS of orchestrating the murder of Khashoggi, and one of Erdogan’s aides said that the Crown Prince has blood on his hands.
It is unclear what was really said on the call, and if the bad blood between the two rulers is now gone, or if Erdogan will keep pushing at a time when his political influence and leverage over his Saudi peer is at an all time high. According to Bloomberg, the phone call “would suggest a desire on the part of MBS to negotiate Erdogan into a softer position. But we have very few details, including any promises MBS may have put on the table.“
Meanwhile, MbS is about to speak at the Saudi Future Investment Initiative, while earlier in the day Saudi King Salman held a meeting with senior princes and clerics, according to the country’s state-owned news agency. No reason was given for the meeting, which included Prince Miteb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, son of late King Abdullah and former head of the powerful National Guard Corps.
Finally, as MBS prepares to speak, Bloomberg notes that the Trump administration has to make a big decision: Does it stick with him or pressure Saudi Arabia’s king to sideline him and give power to someone else? The problem with that approach is that MBS has neutralized so many potential rivals that there aren’t many who could replace him.
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