Erdogan speaks to Saudi king after no-show at Mecca summit

AFP  |  Istanbul 

Turkish spoke Thursday by phone with Saudi Salman after missing a key summit of the in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, his office said.

The two exchanged greetings for the Muslim festival, Erdogan's office said, adding that they also discussed "bilateral and regional issues," without elaborating further.

The phone call comes after Erdogan was notably absent from the summit of the OIC where the country was represented instead by

Turkey's ties with have come under strain after the brutal murder last October of in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which tarnished the international reputation of Crown

Saudi prosecutors have absolved the and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.

But attention has remained focused on whether the crown ordered the murder, despite the kingdom's denials.

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First Published: Thu, June 06 2019. 17:55 IST