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High Hopes: Russia-Turkey Political, Economic Ties to Be 'Further Strengthened'

© Sputnik / Mikhail KlimentyevRussian President Vladimir Putin, left, and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands. file photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands. file photo - Sputnik International
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Politically, Moscow and Ankara can have some differences but they cannot be at odds over the issues related to maintaining peace and stability in the region, Turkish Trade and Customs Minister Bulent Tufenkci said in an exclusive interview with Sputnik Turkey.

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In an exclusive interview with Sputnik Turkey, Turkish Trade and Customs Minister Bulent Tufenkci touched upon the current level of relations between Moscow and Ankara, remaining upbeat about the future of bilateral ties.

According to Tufenkci, both countries have taken an array of important steps towards the normalization of bilateral relations since August 2016.

In particular, "sanctions have been lifted for Turkey supplying oranges, mandarins, apricots, peaches and plums to Russia. A spate of deals was clinched in the energy field. So we see the two countries' political accommodation adding to the development of their economic relations. In line with these developments we expect a significant increase in bilateral trade turnover," he said.

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Bulenttufenkci / Bulent TufenkciTurkish Trade and Customs Minister Bulent Tufenkci
Turkish Trade and Customs Minister Bulent Tufenkci - Sputnik International
Turkish Trade and Customs Minister Bulent Tufenkci

He described Russia as one of those countries with which Turkey is developing "the most intense and profitable relationship," saying that Turkey and Russia are known for their long-term historical and cultural ties.

"Our relationship based on bilateral cooperation has been exposed to a serious unnecessary test, but thanks to the will and desire of the Russian and Turkish people both countries have laid the foundation for new relations," Tufenkci said.

He added that developing the food sector, tourism, construction and the automotive industry remains key priorities for Turkey, while Russia focuses on investments in the energy sector and increasing energy exports to Western countries.

"We can say that our political and economic relations with Russia, our closest long-term trading partner, will be further strengthened and we will be able to quickly overcome the consequences of the negative events that occurred at the end of 2015," he pointed out.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hand with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a press conference on October 10, 2016 in Istanbul - Sputnik International
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Dwelling on bilateral trade ties, Tufenkci specifically promised more efforts to create the Simplified Customs Corridor between Russia and Turkey which he said are also cooperating on the establishment of a joint investment fund worth about a billion dollars.

He also underscored the importance of bolstering bilateral energy ties, pointing to Moscow and Ankara clinching a raft of agreements on the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.

"Currently, Russian-Turkish economic relations are returning to their former level, and I am confident that we will be able to build even more robust bilateral economic cooperation in the future," he said.

In this vein, he expressed hope that the two countries will manage to reach the goal of up to $100 billion in trade turnover through the implementation of joint major projects.

He emphasized that the implementation of these large-scale projects is will be based on a "pragmatic policy." According to Tufenkci, strengthening peace in the region is closely linked to the sustainable implementation of the large-scale projects.

"From a political point of view, our views can differ but must not be at odds over such issues as peace in the region," he said, adding that the political atmosphere of "instability and uncertainty" has a "very negative impact on the regional economy."

Warning that no economic interests can be built on the suffering of oppressed people, "especially innocent children," Tufenkci expressed confidence that the highest level political dialogue between Russia and Turkey will add considerably to bilateral economic cooperation.

Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) of Turkey attending the 23rd World Energy Congress in Istanbul, October 10, 2016 - Sputnik International
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Russian-Turkish relations deteriorated after the downing of a Russian military plane by a Turkish fighter jet in Syria on November 24, 2015. Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Turkey in response to what Putin then described as a "stab in the back." A thaw in relations between Moscow and Ankara began in June following Turkey's apology to Russia.

In 2015, the trade turnover between the two states reached $23.3 billion, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.

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