FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Turkish President Recep Erdogan © Sputnik
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to launch the process of restoring cooperation with Turkey after phone conversation with his Turkey counterpart.
“The Russian leader said that he would instruct the government to start negotiations with the Turkish authorities to restore the mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in trade, economic and other areas,” the Kremlin said on June 29.
Additionally, Putin instructed the government to lift tourism-related restrictions against Turkey, expressing hope that Turkish authorities will take the so-called “additional measures” to ensure safety of Russian nationals
“Although this announcement is being made amid growing terror threat, we will lift the administrative restrictions in this sphere [tourism], and I am asking the government of the Russian Federation to begin the process of normalizing trade and economic relations with Turkey,” Putin noted at a government meeting.
According to Vice President of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) Dmitry Gorin, the tourist flow from Russia to Turkey may be restored within three months.
It’s clear that Putin’s orders are a political move aimed to show the progress in the expected normalization. However, the decision to lift tourism-related restrictions against Turkey next day after a bloody terror attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport (40+ people killed and 230+ injured) looks at least questionable.
The Kremlin’s press service added that the Russian and Turkish presidents underscored the need to bolster “international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.” The dramatic imporvement of the cooperation in this sphere is also very questionable because the both countries have different views on the solution of the conflict in Syria where the terrorist threat is especially high due to constant efforts of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the USA.
There are also reports that Putin and Erdogan discussed the possibility of meeting in person in the near future.
We remember how the crisis between Russia and Turkey has started:
Why would you restore relations with a scorpion? Putin said himself Turkey stabbed him and all of Russia in the back. Well Putin, you are going to get stabbed in the back again! That is factually how Turks have operated for over 600 years now. They stab everybody in the back, including themselves. Just looks how Turks have brought down Europe from within. Now that is a lot of backstabbing for sure.
huh?
I find this to be disappointing news. It just makes me think that President Putin is just another politician. I have lost a lot of respect for him.
did you prefer tension for eternity?
If Turkey continues its operations [1][2][3][4][5] in Syria, Ukraine, Crimea, Azerbaijan, etc., this partial restoration of ties may be short lived. As Turkey is a NATO member and NATO is involved in a process of escalation, a deterioration of relations may occur regardless of other factors.
References: 1. “Turkey would do its outmost for the sake of liberating the ‘occupied territories of Azerbaijan’.” (Turkey fans tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh trouble spot, Itar Tass, February 03, 2016)
2. “Lenur Islyamov, one of the organizers of the so-called Crimean blockade, says that the Turkish defense ministry has promised to provide his group with assistance for the formation of a 560-man volunteer battalion….” (‘Crimean Blockade’ Organizer Brags About Receiving Assistance From Turkey, Sputnik News, 26/12/2015)
3. “The authorities of Saudi Arabia and Turkey have agreed to send thousands of terrorists north of the Syrian Aleppo province, Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement Hassan Nasrallah said Friday.” (Saudi Arabia, Turkey Going to Send Thousands of Terrorists to Syria, Sputnik, 24/06/2016)
4. “Certain elements linked to terrorists in Syria are still shipping weapons and supplying their logistics from Turkey,” the Turkish-language daily, Karshi, cited a police report to the country’s public prosecutor about its operations in the city of Diyarbakir.” (Turkish Police’s Secret Reports Confirm Arms Shipment to Terrorists in Syria, FarsNews, Jun 28, 2016)
5. “Member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including forces from the US, have launched a large-scale military exercise in westerns Ukraine….. “Rapid Trident this year involves Ukraine, the United States, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Georgia, The United Kingdom, Moldova, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Turkey.” (NATO starts massive war games in Ukraine, PressTV, Jun 27, 2016)
P.S. U.S. and EU regime change deliberations (whereby Erdogan is increasingly viewed as a liability) and trade/proposed pipeline projects through Turkey are other factors involved however the direction of developments (towards a broader conflict between opposing blocs) may render such issues moot.
hmmm all sources are Russian/Iranian. It is accurate alright.
Your reply merely shows your inability to contribute in a meaningful, informed or intelligent manner.
sure
So erdogan sends a mediocre apology letter and Putin is undoing all this. I know I am not as patient as him, but he really needs to stop being so nice. Though they always say the Russian people hate war and he is just avoiding it, at some point they are going to get tired of being pushed around by america and its vassals. In the next presidential election, he may be in for a big surprise. The LDPR party just may win.
Apologizing for shoot-down of Russian warplane is “out of questoin”, says Turkish PM http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/turkey/28062016
Erdogan is there to be used. Lifting tourism restrictions does not mean that Russian tourists will return.
I think Erdogan is in a bind with the West. Kurds are giving him problems and West is starting to tire of him. In fact, West works with Kurds and unrest in his country makes him look weak and ineffective. Politicians are two faced. One day they love you, the next they hate you. Look at poor Gaddafi. Came here to US a number of times and West destorys his country and Hillbilly Hillary celebrates his death in the most despicable manner. Putin is a wise. I believe this guy can recite Sun Tzu backwards.
Putin has a plan.lets see how it rolls before we criticise