RIYADH

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud have agreed on the need to increase support for the opposition in Syria.

The two leaders met on Monday at the royal palace in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh and discussed bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues, Turkish presidential sources said. 

During the 30-minute tete-a-tete meeting, the leaders agreed on strengthening cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of economy, security, and defense. 

Erdogan arrives in Riyadh to meet new Saudi king

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived Monday in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, where he will hold talks with Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

Erdogan was welcomed in Riyadh King Khalid International airport by King Salman personally.

The two will hold bilateral meetings, followed by an inter-delegation session and a working lunch.

Erdogan is accompanied by his wife Emine Erdogan, Deputy Prime Ministers Yalcin Akdogan and Numan Kurtulmus, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Feridun Sinirlioglu.

The Turkish president arrived in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah on Saturday night and visited the holy Muslim cities of Mecca and Medina on Sunday.

Before departing from Istanbul on Saturday, President Erdogan said in a press conference that the visit marked an occasion to boost cooperation between the two countries in all fields and discuss the ongoing crises in the Middle East.

“We will discuss the latest situation in Syria, Palestine, Libya, Egypt and Yemen,” President Erdogan said, adding that the war against terrorism would be another topic high on the agenda.

President Erdogan said that Turkey had similar stances with Saudi Arabia regarding many regional problems.