By Merve Yildizalp and Merve Berker
KUALA LUMPUR / ANKARA (AA) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Malaysia on Monday for an official visit as the first stop of his three-nation tour of Asia.
Erdogan was welcomed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Wan Azizah Ismail, Türkiye's Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur Emir Salim Yuksel, Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, embassy staff, and other officials.
Accompanying the Turkish president were first lady Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and National Defense Minister Yasar Guler.
Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumakli, Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Chairperson of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Binali Yildirim, and Presidential Advisor Akif Cagatay Kilic are also accompanying Erdogan.
At the Putrajaya International Convention Center, Erdogan will be awarded an honorary doctorate by Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.
He will also address public officials and university students as part of the "Türkiye-Malaysia Strategic Cooperation in the New Century" meeting.
During his visit, Erdogan is expected to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Anwar to boost bilateral ties across all sectors, as well as discuss situation in Palestinian besieged enclave of Gaza. He will also visit Indonesia and Pakistan as part of his regional tour.