ISTANBUL, Aug 22 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah departed for home today after completing his eight-day state visit to Turkey.

Turkey Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and Malaysia’s Ambassador to Turkey Salim Mustafa Kamal greeted Al-Sultan Abdullah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah at the Istanbul International Airport Terminal upon their arrival at 4pm (local time).

Their Majesties were accompanied by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and the Malaysian delegation.

Al-Sultan Abdullah’s state visit, which began last Monday, was aimed to boost the nearly six-decade bilateral relations between both countries.

His Majesty was accorded a state reception at the Presidential Complex and was greeted by Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who bestowed Al-Sultan Abdullah with the highest award of the country, the Turkish Order of the State.

Al-Sultan Abdullah also visited Turkey’s main defence industry player, FNSS Defence System A.S and aerospace company, Turkish Aerospace Industri (TAI).

His Majesty also was conferred an honorary doctorate in political science and international relations by the Marmara University in Istanbul and met 100 Malaysians living there.

The King and Queen, along with their delegation are scheduled to arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International AirPort (KLIA) at 9.30am tomorrow.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is expected to conduct his next state visit to Singapore next month. — Bernama