Turkey, Russia high-level talks to 'accelerate' ties

MOSCOW

Members of the Russian parliament believe the upcoming high-level meeting in Moscow between Turkish and Russian presidents will accelerate the development of bilateral relations, and enhance cooperation in Syria.

Alexey Chepa, deputy chair of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that the High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) meeting on Friday would give momentum to the relations between Moscow and Ankara, which have been in a successful normalization process since late last summer.

Chepa said Moscow and Ankara lately increased cooperation against terrorism, which led to "unique" results and "partial" stability in Syria.

Igor Morozov, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council -- the upper house of the Russian parliament-- said the meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin would contribute to the "active" development of trade and economic relations.

Morozov said Moscow and Ankara shared a "common approach" towards Syria, adding military and political officials of the two countries were cooperating in this regard.

Leonid Kalashnikov, a deputy from the State Duma -- the lower house of Russia's parliament -- said Putin and Erdogan had the "will" to improve strategic cooperation.

"I think this political will is crucial," added Kalashnikov. He also said the high-level talks would "accelarate" Turkish-Russian cooperation and find solutions to several problems.

Bilateral relations between Ankara and Moscow are expected to be discussed "extensively" at Friday's meeting.

The HLCC is usually headed by Erdogan and Putin and includes government ministers from both states. The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues, particularly Syria.

The last Erdogan-Putin meeting was held last August after Turkey and Russia patched up the fallout from the November 2015 downing of a Russian jet over the Turkey-Syria border.

Since last summer, Russia has relaxed the sanctions imposed on Turkey in response to the jet incident and the countries have worked together to bring a cease-fire and political solution to the conflict in Syria.

Relations were tested last December when Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov was shot to death at an art exhibit in the capital Ankara. But Putin called the assassination a "provocation" to undermine relations between Turkey and Russia as well as the efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis.

A cease-fire agreement in Syria was reached under guarantees from Russia and Turkey in December.

Reporting by Elena Teslova:Writing by Diyar Guldogan