Russian delegation to visit Turkey next week to discuss admission of agricultural products -Economic Development Ministry

MOSCOW, July 27. / TASS /. The Russian delegation will visit Turkey next week to discuss the admission of agricultural products to the Russian market, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development Alexei Likhachev. "The exchange of delegations is scheduled for the next week. Our farmers will go to Turkey. We will hold consultations. (For the admission of Turkish agricultural products to the Russian market - TASS)," he said. And the Turkish delegation may come to Moscow, Likhachev added. According to him, Turley’s Agricultural Minister suggested that Russian delegation should come to Turkey to inspect the enterprises which plan to supply their goods to the Russian market. Head of Russia’s Agricultural watchdog Sergey Dankvert agree and invited the Turkish delegation to Russia, Likhachev said. Russia’s Economic Development Ministry expects the consultations to be held on August 5-6, the First Deputy Minister said. "On August 5-6 we will sum it all up on the level of ministers of economy. By August 9 we are getting ready to report to the President what steps have been made towards each other, and what decisions can be made," Likhachev said. On Tuesday, Minister of Economy of Turkey Nihat Zeybekci said that Turkey asked Russia to allow import of Turkish products, which are under the food embargo. The Minister of Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said that Russia is unlikely to lift food embargo against Turkey before the meeting between President Vladimir Putin with President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Negotiations will be held in St. Petersburg on August 9. Russia imposed ban on imports of a long lists of agricultural products from Turkey from January 1. The restrictive measures were taken after the Turkish air forces had shot down Russia’s Su-24 bomber over the territory of Syria. In spring 2016, Russia also banned imports of pepper, pomegranate and eggplant, lettuce, iceberg salad, zucchini and pumpkins from Turkey due to phytosanitary reasons. In late June, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he apologized for the downed plane and expressed interests in settlement of the situation. After a phone conversation of the two presidents Putin ordered the Russian government to start talks with Turkey on restoration of cooperation in trade and other sectors. Read more