“At the same time I think it would be unrealistic to think that Turkey could be banished or ousted from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as certain American experts, especially on the conservative side would suggest because, as I said, strategically, Turkey is too important”, says Mizin.
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Russia, which is conducting a bombing campaign in support of Erdogan’s foe President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, transformed the balance of the Syrian civil war last September when it intervened militarily, to Turkey’s consternation.
Putin added that he and Erdogan will have a separate discussion on Syria later Tuesday involving top military and intelligence officials to search for common ground in the crisis, where Moscow and Ankara have backed the opposing sides. He said Turkey is ready to implement a natural gas pipeline project proposed by Moscow and a deal for Russian Federation to build Turkey’s first nuclear power plant.
“It is good that after the shooting down of the Russian fighter jet by Turkey a year ago, there is a rapprochement”, he said.
As Turkey’s relations with traditional North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies such as the United States and Europe are starting to show increasing strain amid Ankara’s sweeping crackdown, the Turkish president appears to be turning to Russian Federation for support.
Turkey warned the United States on Tuesday not to sacrifice bilateral ties over Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for the July 15 failed coup and wants to see extradited to face trial. “And we can not support a murderer who has committed acts of state terror”.
HECY: Maybe they can minimize frictions between Turkey and Russian Federation…
Moscow has accused the Turkish government of turning a blind eye to the flow of weapons and supplies to the Islamic State group and other extremists in Syria. Now Erdogan is meeting Putin for the first time since the incident of shooting down the jet, which was attacking terrorists in Syria.
The number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey fell by as much as 95 per cent following the diplomatic freeze, a disastrous drop for an industry already reeling from a string of terror attacks.
Vladimir Putin has offered Erdogan to discuss opportunities for restoring trade and economic cooperation.
Erdogan told Russian media that he wants to “immediately take steps” towards getting the TurkStream project – that was to have pumped 31.5 billion cubic metres of gas a year – going again and to finish the Akkuyu power plant.
Political analysts say while Erdogan’s quick 180-degree turn was motivated by the economic damage caused by lost Russian trade, tensions with his Western allies in Europe and the United States have spurred the face-to-face meeting with Putin.
Putin described the incident at the time as a “treacherous stab in the back” and curtailed economic relations, placing an embargo on agricultural imports form Turkey and banning the sale of package tours to the country.
The 75-year-old Gulen, who built up a network of schools, charities and businesses in Turkey and overseas over decades, denies any involvement in the coup and has condemned it.
Ties with the West have been strained in the aftermath of the coup. The Obama administration has strongly denied that.
Mr Erdogan’s government has repeatedly demanded that Washington apprehend and hand over Mr Gulen, but the USA says it first needs to be presented with evidence and follow judicial process. He didn’t touch on Ankara’s demand for Gulen’s extradition.
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.
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