Elvan pledged Turkey’s support for Saudi Arabia on the matter, and said such a law would directly harm the United State.

The Turkish government is working with Saudi Arabia to examine measures to face the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), that was voted in by the US Congress last month, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper has reported.

In an interview with the Saudi newspaper, Turkish Development Minister, Lutfi Elvan, said his country was looking at the legalities to respond to the controversial JASTA legislation, through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and with the support of some European countries, the report added.

“We cannot accept this law, which contradicts international principles and values,” Elvan told the newspaper, adding that a whole country “cannot be accused of terrorism because of some attempts perpetrated by terrorists during the events of September 11, 2001.”

Elvan pledged Turkey’s support for Saudi Arabia on the matter, and said such a law would directly harm the United States. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he added, had already described JASTA as a big mistake and announced his support to the Kingdom.

The Turkish minister said he believed Saudi and turkey were targeted because they both supported peace and ‘contribute to the establishment of security and stability in the region’ the report added. Elvan has been in Saudi where he arrived earlier in the week on an official visit, the newspaper added.

He told Asharq al-Awsat he had met with various Saudi ministers and businessmen. He told the newspaper he was optimistic that Saudi Arabia remained willing to invest in Turkey, quoting a Saudi businessman who said approximately 150 companies from the kingdom were ready to invest in Turkey.

Referring to Iran’s negative role in the region, and its apparent ongoing support for terrorists in various parts of the region, he said Turkey had many differing views with the republic, but he added there was still a need to work towards the implementation of stability and security in the region.

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