ISTANBUL

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday described a phone call between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed as “positive” and “friendly”.

“Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's phone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed was very positive and friendly,” UAE presidential diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash said on Twitter.

He said the contact between the two leaders was meant to open “a new phase” in relations as “the UAE seeks to build bridges, maximize commonalities and work together with friends and brothers to ensure future decades of regional stability and prosperity for all peoples and countries of the region.”

During their contact, Erdogan and bin Zayed discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, according to Turkey's Communications Directorate.

The UAE’s state news agency WAM said the phone call between the two leaders sought to strengthen bilateral relations to serve common interests.

On Aug.18, Erdogan received UAE National Security Adviser Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan where they discussed bilateral and regional developments as well as UAE’s investments in Turkey.

In a televised interview on the same day, Erdogan said the two countries had been in contact for several months at the intelligence level that helped reach the current level.

He said the UAE will soon make “serious investments” in Turkey, noting that both countries have made progress in improving their bilateral relations in recent months.

At the time Gargash commented on Twitter describing the meeting as “historic and positive”, adding that the meeting focused mainly on cooperation and economic partnerships.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara