"Cooperation With Russia
BYEGM: 1/13/2005
BY SAMI KOHEN
MILLIYET- Leaders� official visits to other countries rarely yield concrete, immediate results. Taking certain decisions to strengthen economic ties and opening a Turkish Trade Center in the middle of Moscow are among the positive results of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan�s visit this week to Russia. The actual successes of the visit are the steps taken towards strategic partnership. During meetings in Moscow, both sides showed a new stance not only over bilateral relations, but also regional issues. Russia�s stance on the Cyprus issue and Turkey�s relations with the EU are concrete examples of this. Russian President Vladimir Putin�s statements about Cyprus signalled a move away from Russia�s support for the Greek Cypriot administration. Russia has now agreed to support UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan�s plan and will also help lift the blockade on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). This is a truly important shift in Moscow�s Cyprus policy in favor of Turkey. "
More:Cooperation With Russia
