Turkey and Russia: cooperation instead of conflict

On 29 June, at Russia’s initiative, a telephone conversation was held by the Presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to the Kremlin, they agreed to resume the political dialogue, and announced a lifting of sanctions and a personal meeting between the Presidents. Ankara has stressed the need to intensify bilateral cooperation. The conversation took place after numerous conciliatory gestures from the Turkish side, including a letter Erdoğan sent two days earlier, in which he regretted the shooting down by Turkish forces of a Russian bomber jet in November; he offered his condolences to the family of the pilot, and expressed his desire to resume dialogue and return to the traditionally friendly relations with Russia. A meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers was also scheduled to take place on 1 July in Sochi.

ESO: Background information: Turkey apologises for downing Russian jet, hopes to improve relations http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkey-apologises-for-downing-russian-jet-hopes-to-improve-relations/

---