Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a visit to Moscow on January 12-13 on the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Erdogan left for Moscow with several ministers near him, as Turkish and Russian ministers will be gathered for the first time for Board of Ministers meeting to which Prime Ministers will also attend.
The agenda of the board of ministers will include largening the volume of trade that shrinked with the economical crisis, demand of Russian companies to become partners in Samsun-Ceyhan petroleum pipeline, cooperation in the South Stream natural gas pipeline, Blue Stream - 2, development of cooperation in energy in Iraq and several joint investment projects.
Ankara's recent foreign policy of "zero problems with neighbours" opened a way for Turkey and Russia a concept of strengthened partnership. Especially Turkey's attitude towards peace and stability in the region during the August war between Russia and Georgia, caused deep changes in the view of Russians about Turkey. Foreign policies of Ankara and Moscow coincide in many aspects. Turkey and Russia have similar point of views in the resolution of the nuclear problem of Iran by peaceful methods, establishment of peace and stability in the Middle East, Syria-Lebanon problem, Afghanistan and establishment of environment of trust in Iraq.
Lavrov takes the initiative in Yerevan
Continuing efforts for resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh problem by diplomatical methods, Moscow took the initiative also in the process of normalization of relaitons between Turkey and Armenia. Playing a crucial role in the settlement of crisis in the signing ceremony of protocols on October 10, in Zurich, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be in Yerevan today while Prime Minister Erdogan will be in Moscow. Armenian Constitutional Court will be discussing Turkey-Armenia protocols on the same day. Following his contacts in Yerevan, Russian Foreign Minister will return to Moscow and join the Russian delegation that will be holding meetings with Turkish delegation. Lavrov is expected to meet Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan and high level Armenian officials. Several political expert mention the high probability of withdrawal of Armenian forces from 5 of 7 surrounding regions around Nagorno Karabakh in 2010.
Connecting normalization of relations with Armenia to the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Ankara is pleased of the Russian mediation. The politician who initiated the process of normalization between Turkey and Armenia, President Abdullah Gul stated a few days ago that Russia and Turkey hold quite but active talks towards Armenia.
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