Clearday-TRForce
07-18-2005, 03:09 AM
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in the holiday resort of Soci today, also known as "Russia's Antalya". The two leaders have formerly laid the foundation of a multi-dimensional Ankara-Moscow cooperation.
During the nonofficial meeting, both leaders will discuss concrete, bilateral and international issues. Although diplomatic sources say issues such as the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist organization, relations with European Union (EU) and problems in the Caucasus will be given priority, it is expected that issues such as "mutual investments and development of economic cooperation" will occupy the main agenda. The $11 billion trade volume between the countries, now, shows a 1/5 Turkish deficit. Turkey aims to improve the deficit resulting from natural gas and oil in particular with the construction sector and trade. In contrast, Russia believes tourism eliminates the imbalance between the countries.
Putin and Erdogan have decided to increase mutual trade volume to $25 billion in three years time during an official meeting in Ankara, last December. To attain this goal Turkish Minister of State Kursat Tuzmen has been visiting Moscow twice a week.
The privatization of Erdemir and Tupras, active participation of Russian companies in communication and transportation projects in Turkey and Gazprom's investments in Turkey will be discussed during the meeting in Putin's summer residence Bocarov Rucey in Soci. Also the two leaders will discuss issues such as providing facilities to the Turkish constructing sector in Russia and exporting Turkish textile to Russia. Erdogan and Putin will confer on common projects to carry Russian natural gas to countries like Israel. Russia will bring the oil tanker traffic issue in Bosporus and Dardanelles and Turkey will mention the problems that Turkish citizens suffer while obtaining a visa for Russia on the agenda during the meeting as usual.
The Kremlin that had had been prudent in political relations with Turkey until recently, relaxed its stance after Prime Minister Erdogan's came into office and the changes in the international conjuncture. Putin treated Prime Minister Erdogan with a cordiality comparable to that with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair who are known to be his close political aids. Putin who had hosted Prime Minister Erdogan at his residence near Moscow in January had manifested a warm interest on the subject of the recent problems related with Turkish vegetable exports in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Erdogan. The Soci meeting had been arranged during this phone conversation.
Putin will host a dinner for Prime Minister Erdogan who is expected to leave this evening for Soci on the border of the Black Sea. The two leaders will meet again tomorrow for more detailed talks. Prime Minister Erdogan will fly from Soci to Mongolia for a two day-visit.
-Soci
regards.
During the nonofficial meeting, both leaders will discuss concrete, bilateral and international issues. Although diplomatic sources say issues such as the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist organization, relations with European Union (EU) and problems in the Caucasus will be given priority, it is expected that issues such as "mutual investments and development of economic cooperation" will occupy the main agenda. The $11 billion trade volume between the countries, now, shows a 1/5 Turkish deficit. Turkey aims to improve the deficit resulting from natural gas and oil in particular with the construction sector and trade. In contrast, Russia believes tourism eliminates the imbalance between the countries.
Putin and Erdogan have decided to increase mutual trade volume to $25 billion in three years time during an official meeting in Ankara, last December. To attain this goal Turkish Minister of State Kursat Tuzmen has been visiting Moscow twice a week.
The privatization of Erdemir and Tupras, active participation of Russian companies in communication and transportation projects in Turkey and Gazprom's investments in Turkey will be discussed during the meeting in Putin's summer residence Bocarov Rucey in Soci. Also the two leaders will discuss issues such as providing facilities to the Turkish constructing sector in Russia and exporting Turkish textile to Russia. Erdogan and Putin will confer on common projects to carry Russian natural gas to countries like Israel. Russia will bring the oil tanker traffic issue in Bosporus and Dardanelles and Turkey will mention the problems that Turkish citizens suffer while obtaining a visa for Russia on the agenda during the meeting as usual.
The Kremlin that had had been prudent in political relations with Turkey until recently, relaxed its stance after Prime Minister Erdogan's came into office and the changes in the international conjuncture. Putin treated Prime Minister Erdogan with a cordiality comparable to that with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair who are known to be his close political aids. Putin who had hosted Prime Minister Erdogan at his residence near Moscow in January had manifested a warm interest on the subject of the recent problems related with Turkish vegetable exports in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Erdogan. The Soci meeting had been arranged during this phone conversation.
Putin will host a dinner for Prime Minister Erdogan who is expected to leave this evening for Soci on the border of the Black Sea. The two leaders will meet again tomorrow for more detailed talks. Prime Minister Erdogan will fly from Soci to Mongolia for a two day-visit.
-Soci
regards.