ANKARA Ñ Turkey and Saudi Arabia are engaged in their worst tiff in
years.
The issue is the Saudi destruction of an Ottoman-era castle in Mecca.
On Saturday, about 300 Turkish nationals protested against Saudi King
Fahd outside the Saudi embassy in Ankara. They set pictures of the king on
fire and held signs that read "Down with Saudi dictatorship."
Turkish officials said the Saudi destruction is reminiscent of the
defunct Taliban government in Afghanistan and have vowed to retaliate
through diplomatic means. Saudi Arabia, which promised to rebuild the
structure, said it had the sovereign right to destroy the castle.
"We will always be against one country's destruction of another
country's historic heritage," Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said.
"Saudi Arabia should be ashamed of this act of destruction, and we won't let
the world forget it."
Officials in Ankara said Turkey was promised by Riyad that it would not
destroy the Al Ajyad castle to make way for a hotel complex. The complex is
meant to house Muslims visiting Mecca for the Haj pilgrimage.
"Last summer Saudi Arabian officials told us that a business center
would be built there, but the castle would not be demolished," Turkish
Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said. "We asked Saudi Arabian
officials what was going on."
Ankara plans to protest the destruction of the the 220-year-old fortress
to make way for a $533 million hotel project. Some politicians are calling
for a boycott of Turkish pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
"One Muslim country's destruction of another Muslim country's historic
heritage constitutes sinful behavior which is in breach of Islam's moral
values and religious brotherhood," acting Turkish parliamentary speaker
Murat Sokmenoglu said.
Western diplomats doubted whether Turkey would retaliate for the
destruction. They cited Turkey's brisk trade with Riyad as well as
reservations booked by thousands of Turks to travel to Mecca for the Haj
pilgrimage next month.
