ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – A delegation of Turkish foreign ministry, military and intelligence officials is traveling to Russian Federation for discussions on finding a solution to the Syria conflict, Turkey’s foreign minister said Wednesday.
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He said Turkey and Russian Federation are building a “strong mechanism” for cooperation on Syria.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Saint Petersburg for talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is meant to end the rift between the two countries, started in November when Turkey downed a Russian warplane over Syria.
“NATO counts on the continued contributions of Turkey and Turkey can count on the solidarity and support of NATO”, Lungescu said. While Moscow has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout the nation’s civil war and further bolstered that support by launching an air campaign last September, Turkey has pushed for Assad’s removal and helped his foes.
The Russian media on Wednesday hailed Putin’s meeting with Erdogan as a major breakthrough, with past grievances forgotten in the interests of building new ties.
“We are not improving ties with Russian Federation to send a message to the West”, he added.
Erdogan’s visit to Putin’s hometown of Saint Petersburg was his first foreign trip since the failed coup against him last month that sparked a purge of opponents and cast a shadow over Turkey’s relations with the West.
“Your visit today, despite a very hard situation regarding domestic politics, indicates that we all want to restart dialogue and restore relations between Russian Federation and Turkey”, Putin said as the two met.
Relations between Turkey and Russian Federation – two powers vying for influence in the strategic Black Sea region and Middle East – have always been complicated.
The failed coup saw renegade Turkish military officers using jets, helicopters and tanks try to take power in a night of violence that left more than 270 people dead. Turkey has pressed the United States hard to extradite Gulen, who has repeatedly denied any involvement.
The minister added that anti-US sentiment had shot up in Turkey over the Gulen issue and urged Washington to act before it worsened.
She condemned claims in the Turkish press that the Wilson Center, a USA academic institution, was involved in the coup.
Erdogan’s trip is being closely watched in the West where some fear his growing detente with Moscow could affect his links with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, of which Turkey is a member.
Yenel sought to reassure European partners over the March refugee deal that ended the flow of migrants into Europe from Turkey but which the Turkish authorities have warned may collapse if the EU does not allow visa-free travels for Turkish passport-holders.
During his press conference with Putin, Erdogan also said that he wanted to create a tripartite effort to resolve regional tensions, particularly the Azerbaijan-Armenia crisis.
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Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern has said Europe needs to think again about Turkey’s possible European Union membership.
