PM Erdogan inaugurates Al-Turkiya, TRT's Arabic Channel

TRT Al-Turkiya, the state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) new Arabic-language channel, went on the air with an official ceremony at Istanbul 's Dolmabahce Palace over the weekend. Speaking at the ceremony, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan compared Turks and Arabs to inseparable relatives, saying that that Istanbul 's destiny is intertwined with the fates of Cairo , Amman , Mecca , Medina , and Jerusalem . "Turks and Arabs share a common history as well as a common future," he continued. "Although Turkey has turned to the West, this in no way means that it has turned its back on the East. Turks and Arabs are members of a joint civilization." Stressing that Turkey is working in cooperation with all its neighbors to boost solidarity, peace and prosperity, Erdogan said Turkey shows the same sensitivity to all humanitarian tragedies around the world, citing Turkish aid to the peoples of both Haiti and Gaza as evidence. Also speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said they expect TRT Al-Turkiya to reach more than 300 million people across the region, touting the new channel as a common asset for regional countries. "As people of the same culture, geography, history and faith, now we can communicate with each other through this new medium as well," he said. "We think we've done a good job by starting this channel. It is above all speaks well that now Turks and Arabs, whom history made brothers, can reach out to each other through his channel." Many domestic and foreign guests, including Qatari Crown Prince Sheikm Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, also attended the ceremony.