On April 6 and 7, Sergei Lavrov paid a visit to Turkey. At the presidential palace in Ankara, the Minister of Foreign Affairs met with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, and also met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Eastern Herald’s special correspondent, Ksenia Sigaeva, collected the main statements of foreign ministers during a press conference after the talks.
Cooperation between Russia and Turkey
During the talks, the ministers discussed a timetable for further contacts at different levels. Lavrov noted that the effectiveness of relations between Moscow and Ankara is determined by “intensive confidential dialogue between our presidents”, also mentioning inter-parliamentary ties.
Lavrov and Cavusoglu focused on contacts in the energy sector, mentioning in particular the creation of a gas hub in Turkey for the transport of Russian hydrocarbons and the ceremony of delivery of nuclear fuel to the power unit of the Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu on April 27. Other topics of discussion include humanitarian projects and tourism. 5.2 million Russians visited Turkey in 2022, Cavusoglu said. 5.2 million, i.e. 80% more than in 2021 and 11.7% of the total tourist flow to Turkey in 2022.
The ministers also noted Russia’s aid to Turkey after the February earthquake. Lavrov commented on the issue with the saying “a friend in need is known”. The Turkish colleague, in turn, constantly addressed Lavrov as “Sergey” and called him “friend”, while Lavrov called Cavusoglu “dear Mevlut”.
Ukrainian conflict
Cavusoglu stressed that military actions in Ukraine should only be settled through negotiations and on the basis of international law, while Turkey is “ready to provide any support” and continues to be in contact with both sides. He expressed concern about a possible escalation of the conflict in the spring.
Lavrov insisted that Russia does not refuse negotiations, but that Russian concerns must be taken into account for them to take place. It should be “on what principles will the new world order that we all need instead of a unilateral world order be based”, said the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Black Sea Initiative
Sergei Lavrov again lamented the non-compliance with the requirements for the export of Russian agricultural products in accordance with the Russia-UN memorandum. “We (…) have offered to extend this agreement for only 60 days, on the basis that if there is no further progress in removing obstacles to the export of Russian fertilizers and grain, we will reflect on the need for this agreement,” he said.
According to Cavusoglu, the agreement “showed that diplomacy and negotiations bring results” and minimizes the food crisis, but it is important that the Russia-UN memorandum is also respected. “We do not support Russia or do not support (…), the second part (of the agreements) must also be implemented”, declared the Turkish minister, specifying that Rosselkhozbank has not yet been reconnected to the SWIFT system.
Khalil Hamra / AP
In March, the Russian authorities announced the extension of the “grain agreement” for 60 days instead of the planned 120. Moscow is not satisfied with “the lack of progress in the implementation of the Russia-UN memorandum on the normalization of national agricultural exports”. “complained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Other topics addressed by the foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey include the need to “restore the destroyed Libyan state” and to organize democratic and transparent elections in Libya, the settlement of relations between Israel and the Palestine, as well as between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “We hope that some of our (non-regional) colleagues will not interfere in these processes, but will direct the parties to the strict implementation of the agreements reached in the Russian-Armenian-Azerbaijani trilateral format,” Lavrov commented on this. of the Armenian-Azerbaijani colony.
In addition, the ministers drew attention to the ongoing process of normalizing Syrian-Turkish relations, although Lavrov acknowledged that this process cannot be “one-off”. On 3 and 4 April, quadripartite consultations took place in Moscow at the level of the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Russia, Iran, Syria and Turkey to discuss preparations for the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of these country.
