Speaking on a live TV interview on Tuesday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the government would attempt to prevent the negative effects of the deteriorating relations with Russian Federation.
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With security on high alert, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday went from the Presidential Palace to the Foreign ministry in Nicosia for talks with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides.
Lavrov said that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was insisting on holding talks on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade starting from Thursday, adding that he would not be evading this contact.
Mr Lavrov said he spoke to Mr Cavusoglu by telephone the day after the Russian aircraft was shot down, but heard only what Turkey had already stated publicly and “just some excuses”. He added that Turkey had consistently asked to arrange such a meeting. The Russian pilot was killed by militants after bailing out from the plane and a Russian marine was also killed on a rescue mission to retrieve a second pilot.
Lavrov is also scheduled to meet the Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos and the President of the House of Representatives Yiannakis Omirou.
The Turkish leader has denied Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier claims of Turkey’s involvement in oil trade with the IS, and has pledged to step down if Moscow proves its accusations.
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Among the sanctions imposed by Moscow is the end of a visa-free travel agreement between the two countries and a ban on Turkish food products.
