Russia, Turkey to compare views on bilateral relations

MOSCOW, July 2 (Itar-Tass) - Russian and Turkish foreign ministers
Sergei Lavrov and Ahmet Davutoglu intend on Thursday to compare views on
the entire range of bilateral relations as well as pressing regional and
international problems.
The Turkish foreign minister arrived in Moscow on Wednesday at the
invitation of his Russian counterpart. It is his first trip to Russia
after his appointment to this post. According to spokesman of the Russian
Foreign Ministry Andrei Nesterenko, the visit will help "to continue
intensive cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries
and the political dialogue as a whole, assuming increasingly constructive
and open nature".
The two ministers plan at the Moscow meeting to discuss prospects for
an Iraqi and Mid-East settlements, the situation around the Iranian
nuclear programme, CSTO issues, the situation in Transcaucasia and Central
Asia, the state of affairs with a Cyprus settlement and cooperation at
international organisations.
Further development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the
Black Sea region, including prospects for partnership within the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation Organisation, "Blackseafor" and "Black Sea Harmony"
operations will be an important item on the agenda of the talks between
Lavrov and Davutoglu.
The ministers will pay much attention to trade and economic relations.
"The volume of mutual trade hit 33.8 billion US dollars by the results of
2008," Nesterenko informed. The volume of Russian gas deliveries to
Turkey topped 24.5 billion cubic metres in 2008 and 23.5 billion cubic
metres in 2007, including 10.5 billion cubic metres through the Blue
Stream pipeline.
"The two sides are interested in boosting its capacity, including by
laying down a parallel gas pipeline ("Blue Stream-2") and its extension
across the Turkish territory in the Mediterranean direction," the diplomat
added, pointing to "good prospects for establishing cooperation in the
sphere of nuclear power industry".
Nesterenko noted at the same time "Turkish companies concluded In
Russia contracts to the tune of over 17 billion US dollars over the past
decade. Incidentally, the aggregate volume of direct Turkish investments
in Russia topped five billion dollars".
Nesterenko also sees a great potential "in the sphere of
military-technical cooperation and in other hi-tech spheres".
Besides, the spokesman pointed to "active development of bilateral
contacts in humanitarian and cultural relations as well as tourism".
"Around 2.5 million Russians visited Turkey in 2008," he said, which, in
the spokesman's opinion, "largely promotes consolidation of confidence and
mutual understanding between the two nations".