Ankara / Anadolu

Turkish Justice Minister Aken Görlek and his Saudi counterpart Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani discussed ways to enhance judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries during a meeting held at the Ministry of Justice in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.

Görlek said that Turkey and Saudi Arabia share deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, and that they are brotherly countries that undertake important responsibilities in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity at the regional level.

He pointed out that the relations of friendship, brotherhood, and mutual trust between the two countries form a solid foundation for cooperation in various fields, noting that the official visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Riyadh reflected the advanced level of bilateral relations.

He added that the shared will embodied by President Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has given bilateral relations new momentum, expressing his satisfaction that this will has translated into tangible results in the fields of economy, trade, investment, energy, defense, culture, tourism, technology, and justice.

He explained that including legal and judicial cooperation in the joint statement issued after the Riyadh visit represents an important step, and that signing an agreement for cooperation in the field of justice during the visit constitutes a development that strengthens cooperation between the two countries' justice ministries.

Görlek emphasized that the two countries belong to a common civilization that adopts the principle 'the religion of the state is justice,' stressing the endeavor to translate the shared vision of the two countries' leaderships into practical cooperation in the fields of law and justice to serve the interests of both peoples.

He noted that Turkey's 'Century of Turkey' vision and Saudi Vision 2030 emphasize the importance of building strong, fast, and accessible justice systems, stressing that increasing mutual visits between delegations and enhancing direct communication between experts will contribute to the development of bilateral relations.

- Readiness to exchange expertise

The Turkish justice minister said that his country has implemented several reforms in recent years aimed at accelerating judicial services and facilitating access to them, indicating that digitizing the judiciary, developing alternative dispute resolution methods, and facilitating citizens' access to justice represent the ministry's top priorities.

He added that the National Judiciary Network Project (UYAP) has enabled the electronic management of judicial procedures in Turkey, affirming his country's readiness to share its expertise with the Saudi side in this field.

He said: 'We are ready to share with the Saudi Ministry of Justice our expertise in the fields of judicial digitization, applications supported by artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, judicial assistance, and alternative dispute resolution methods.'

- Cooperation in combating crime and terrorism

Görlek stressed the importance of cooperation between the judicial authorities in Turkey and Saudi Arabia in combating terrorism and its financing, organized crime, cybercrime, and money laundering.

He added: 'I am confident that Turkey and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue their common stance in protecting international law, justice, and human dignity at the regional and international levels.'

He expressed his belief that the meeting will contribute to the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries and open new horizons for cooperation in the fields of law and justice.