Saudi king, prince congratulate Erdogan on Republic Day

RIYADH (AA) - Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.

In two separate cables to the Turkish leader, the Saudi monarch and crown prince wished good health and happiness to Erdogan and his government and the Turkish people and steady progress and prosperity, according to the official SPA news agency.

The official proclamation of the Turkish Republic by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk took place on Oct. 29, 1923 when the name of the nation and its status as a republic were declared.

A vote then took place in the Grand National Assembly and Ataturk, a revolutionary statesman, was elected first president of the Republic of Turkey by a unanimous vote.

Since then, Turkey celebrates Republic Day every year on Oct. 29.