Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have discussed the prospects of restoring full-fledged bilateral cooperation, including in energy, at the meeting in China’s Hangzhou, according to TASS News Agency.
Advertisement
Putuin also said that Turkey has been facing a terrorist threat. He assured Erdogan that his national security team and the Justice Department would ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, a reference to Turkey’s extradition request for an exiled cleric it holds responsible.
The United States is skeptical an agreement with Russian Federation to decease violence in Syria can work but will keep pursuing it nonetheless, President Barack Obama said Sunday as negotiators from both countries edged toward a deal.
Merkel also said talks about the planned visa liberalization for Turkish citizens in the European Union would have to continue for several weeks. The targets included Kurdish groups that are backed by Washington and seen by it as integral to the fight against the Islamic State group.
Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield on August 24, aimed at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along its border by using Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery, and jets. The U.S. wants Russian Federation to focus exclusively on IS and al-Qaida-linked groups.
Turkey and Russia normalised ties in June after Erdogan sent a letter to Putin expressing regret over the shooting down of a Russian war plane on the Syrian border in November 2015, which had caused an unprecedented crisis in their relations. U.S. officials insist they will extradite Gulen if Turkey can present proof he was actually involved.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in this eastern city of China on Saturday night, kicking off a tightly scheduled trip headlined by the 11th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies. The Pentagon has backed the incursions, but said they should only be aimed at IS fighters.
Advertisement
The United States is committed to bringing to justice the perpetrators of an attempted coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Barack Obama said Sunday in a meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the opening of the G20 summit in China.
