Primakov: Turkish-Russian ties will take on new momentum
11:38, 11 February 2009
MOSCOW. February 11. KAZINFORM Relations between Russia and Turkey will gain new momentum once the global financial crisis is over, former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov has said, noting that he expects multi-dimensional ties between the two countries to further expand when Turkish President Abdullah Gyul visits Moscow this week.
Primakov, now head of the Russian Chamber of Industry and Trade, said Russian-Turkish ties had a solid basis, pointing to the growing trade volume between the two countries as an example. The volume of trade had gone from $17 billion in 2006 to $33 billion by the end of 2008. Turkish construction companies are also active across Russia. "Unfortunately, the global crisis is projected to have a negative impact on bilateral ties, particularly in the Turkish construction sector," said Primakov. "But I believe that this period of crisis is transitory. Russia and Turkey have great potential to expand cooperation because we have complementary economies"; Kazinform has learned from Today's Zaman.