ABU DHABI, 26 November 2021, (TON): Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, opening a new chapter in relations between the regional rivals.

The first high-level visit to Turkey since 2012 comes a day after the Turkish lira crashed, the latest crisis in a tumultuous period for the economy.

Erdogan greeted Sheikh Mohammed on the ceremonial blue carpet at the presidential palace in Ankara before they went into talks.

The meeting was followed by a signing ceremony for several agreements whose content was not divulged. A formal dinner was planned later at the palace.

The groundwork was laid for the rapprochement with a visit in August by a UAE delegation, as well as a phone call between Erdogan and Sheikh Mohammed, UAE's de facto ruler.

The UAE and Turkey-backed opposing sides in the Libyan conflict and have diverging opinions on other regional issues such as gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.

Relations were particularly tense after a Saudi Arabia-led blockade on Qatar by Arab countries including the UAE in 2017. Doha is one of Ankara's closest allies.