Putin-Erdogan talks in Sochi

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Turkish president, Recip Tayip Erdogan had four hours of talks in Sochi on Friday (5 August) to discuss a number of pressing issues, including Syria and Ukraine.

In the joint statement released after the meeting the two presidents pointed out the importance of sincere, frank and trust-based relations between Turkey and Russia for the establishment of regional and international stability.

"The two leaders confirmed that constructive relations between the two countries played a role in reaching the Istanbul Agreement on the transport of grain and food from Ukraine."  

In the joint statement, Russia's implementation in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Istanbul Agreement, including the uninterrupted export of raw materials for the production of grain, fertilizer and fertilizer was underlined..

"The leaders confirmed their determination to act in solidarity and coordination in the fight against all terrorist organizations in Syria." 

The two leaders agreed to boost political and economic cooperation including in energy and trade.

__________

Talks between the president of Turkish, Recip Tayip Erdogan, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, began at 1520 local time in the Russian Black Sea Port of Sochi, where the Turkish leader arrived on Friday afternoon (5 August)

The situation in Syria and Ukraine are on top of the agenda, but other issues, including the situation in the South Caucasus, are also expected to be discussed.

The meeting is being held in the Green Hall, in the Presidential Summer Palace.

At the beginning of the meeting the two presidents made some general remarks in front of the media:

Vladimir Putin: Dear Mr President! Dear friend! We are very glad to welcome you to Russia.

As agreed at the meeting in Tehran, we are holding our next working meeting today. But before we meet here in Sochi, a representative delegation from the economic bloc of the Russian Government visited Turkey at your invitation and worked out all the most important areas of our cooperation with our colleagues. A lot of them. Suffice it to recall that last year our trade turnover increased by 57 percent, and in the first months of this year, up to and including May, it doubled.

We have big projects. Everyone knows about the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. But there are other areas as well – this is energy, which is very important. In this regard, I would like to note that the Turkish Stream, the construction of which we completed some time ago, is today one of the most important arteries for supplying Europe with Russian gas. Turkish Stream, unlike all other directions of our hydrocarbon supplies to Europe, is working properly, rhythmically, without any failures. I mean not only deliveries to consumers in Turkey, but, I want to reiterate, also to consumers in Europe.

So, I think, European partners should be grateful to Turkey for ensuring uninterrupted transit of our gas to the European market.

But for consumption in Turkey itself, oil, and gas, and coal, and other goods - everything goes in large volume, quantity, without any failures.

With your direct participation and through the mediation of the United Nations Secretariat, the issue related to the supply of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports has been resolved. Deliveries have already begun, and I want to thank you both for this and for the fact that at the same time a package decision was made on uninterrupted supplies of Russian food and Russian fertilizers to world markets. Because the question is for many countries, especially for developing countries that are on the verge of major problems with the supply of food and fertilizers - for all these countries, of course, decisions that were made with your direct participation are very important. I want to thank you for this.

And, as we agreed, I hope that today we will be able to sign an appropriate memorandum on the development of our trade and economic ties, taking into account the agreements that our delegation reached while working in Turkey just a day or two ago.

We are very glad to see you, welcome.

Of course, of course, we will also talk about the problems that we have been dealing with for a long time, I mean security issues in the region, primarily the Syrian crisis. Here Turkey and Russia have made a very large contribution to normalizing the situation, and we, of course, will not ignore this topic either.

Welcome, Mr. President.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan (retranslated) : Mr. President, I am also grateful, express my gratitude. I am glad that soon after our Tehran meeting we are meeting again.

Our delegations met, these meetings were productive. This concerns economic, trade, all our areas. Many issues were discussed in all these areas, and now, after all these issues, we can say that we will probably put an end to this.

I believe that we will open a new page in our Turkish-Russian relations. This also applies to energy, this is especially true of the “grain corridor” across the Black Sea, along which we have taken steps. On all these issues - regarding tourism, transport - steps have been taken in these areas. Along with all these issues, there are steps in the region that have been taken. I can say that our delegations - again I say - met, held [meetings]. Today we will discuss face to face, eye to eye, all other issues on the agenda.

From Turkey's point of view, Russia plays a role in this regard on the world stage - I want to note a special role. I believe that in this regard we need to pay even more attention, and I believe that this will facilitate the situation in the region in the fight against terrorism. Our solidarity in this regard is of great importance. Regarding this issue, our steps, our meetings - I also believe - will strengthen this whole trend, our relations.

And along with these questions, today the world has its eyes fixed on Sochi: what will they do in Sochi, what will they do in Sochi, what will they discuss? Probably, [the world] is closely following our meeting, Sochi. And after our meeting, probably the best answer will be sent to these circles, to these individuals.

As you know, the Akkuyu nuclear power plant is of great importance in the energy sector. You and I have achieved success, we have reached a certain point: indeed, the process at Akkuyu continues so that there are no delays, so that all this work goes according to schedule and all work is completed according to the plan, because this is of great importance to us . Turkey's need for energy - ten percent will just be provided through the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. Therefore, in connection with this issue, we will discuss this in detail with you. I think it will be useful.

Today there is such an opportunity. Thank you for the opportunity to meet here.

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The visit comes after the first ship carrying Ukrainian corn to the world markets passed through the Turkish straits in line with the deal brokered between Ukraine, Turkey and the U.N.

Erdogan and Putin held their latest in-person meeting in Tehran on the sidelines of the Astana Process summit on July 19, three days before the deals allowing Ukraine and Russia to resume exporting grain, fertilizers and other food products to the global markets were signed in Istanbul. Russia also signed separate agreements with Turkey and U.N. to this end.

Before the leaders’ Sochi summit, the two countries foreign ministers, Mevlut Cavisoglu and Sergey Lavrov had a brief meeting in Cambodia late Aug. 3 and discussed the agenda of the Putin-Erdogan meeting.

source: commonspace.eu with agencies
photo: President Putin welcoming Turkish president Erdogan at the Rus Sanitorium in Sochi on 5 August 2022

 

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