Prime minister pledges Turkey will ensure safety of Russian tourists

GORKI, December 6./TASS/. Turkey is making every necessary effort towards protection against terrorism and is ready to ensure the safety of Russian tourists, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said after talks with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday. "Terrorist threats exist in all countries of the world..., but we are taking appropriate (security) measures. We make every necessary effort, we have taken relevant decisions," the prime minister said. "We have no doubt that we will create conditions for ensuring the safety of our dear guests in the best way, this is the task of the Turkish government and state," Yildirim said in reply to the question about potential risks for Russian tourists. The prime minister said the flow of Russian tourists to Turkey declined last year, but expressed confidence that it will get back to the previous level in 2017. Relations between Moscow and Ankara soured after an F-16 fighter jet from the Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian Su-24M bomber, which was on an anti-terror mission over Syria. On August 9, Russian and Turkish presidents, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held their first talks, resetting relations after an 8-month freeze. Read more