Putin, Erdogan start talks in narrow format

ANKARA, December 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan started narrow-format talks on Monday. Later, Putin and Erdogan will hold a session of the High-Level Cooperation Council. Ahead of the visit Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said during the tete-a-tete talks, Putin and Erdogan are expected to focus on international issues. Priority attention will be paid to Syria, Ushakov said. Military-technical cooperation will be one of the topical issues at the talks. Russia intends to raise the question of tax privileges for the state-run nuclear corporation, Rosatom, over the Akkuyu nuclear plant project. Russian gas supplies will be also discussed, Ushakov said. After the session of the High-Level Cooperation Council the year 2016 will be declared the Bilateral Year of Tourism. Turkey expects gas discounts to be given and foodstuffs supplies to increase. Turkey hopes to discuss new possibilities to expand export due to the fact that Moscow and Ankara intend to increase trade turnover to $100 billion by 2020. Turkey paid much attention to agreements on preferential trade and removing trade and economic restrictions. Both countries are ready to use their own currencies in mutual trade. Local observers hope that both parties will succeed in achieving progress in the gas sector. In an interview with Turkey’s Anadolu news agency which Putin gave ahead of his visit to Turkey, the Russian president said the cost of additional Russian gas volumes needed to be finalized. The gas discount was discussed in Moscow last week by Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz. These discussions will continue in Ankara. Within the existing contracts Turkey has right to hold talks on the discount. Earlier, Yildiz said due to world gas price changes Turkey lost considerable funding when it purchased fuel at the earlier agreed price. The increase in gas import became the priority issue due to the situation in Ukraine. Turkey received about 14 billion cubic metres of gas on the so-called Western corridor, by the pipeline running through Ukraine. During the visit, Putin and Erdogan will exchange views on foreign political issues. Turkey is expected to hear Russia’s arguments on Ukraine and confirm its view on the need to settle the crisis exclusively by peaceful means. Read more