Aydyn Adnan Sezgin: “Turkey and Russia coming closer together is beneficial for the region”

Interview by Faud Safarov. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Turkey in Russia, Aydyn Adnan Sezgin, told Vestnik Kavkaza about Ankara’s view on the current level of Turkish-Russian cooperation, the position on Syria, the missile defense system and the Karabakh settlement.

-          How would you characterize current relations between Turkey and Russia?

-          I am glad to state that relations between Turkey and Russia are developing rapidly in all spheres. There are no problems in bilateral political relations. Diversification of our economic cooperation is taking place, and it is developing widely: from energy and construction to tourism and the automobile industry. I am sure that the volume of trade turnover will surpass $38 billion in the near future, i.e. the rate which was reached in 2008 ahead of the financial crisis. I am also sure that we will achieve the goal which was voiced by our leaders - $100 billion.

In this context I would like to touch on mutual investments. Turkish and Russian companies establish wide opportunities for business and new workplaces due to mutual investments of $10 billion both in Turkey and Russia. We expect that these figures will grow. I am glad to see how the people of our countries learn about each other and recognize similar features due to tourism and the humanitarian sphere. Cultural centers which are planned to be opened in the near future in both countries will improve the process.

The Council on Top Level Cooperation was established as a joint conference of the Ministers Council which gathers once a year under the chairmanship of the Turkish prime minister and the Russian President. The Council controls three bodies. The Joint Strategic Group on Planning is headed by the foreign ministers and deals with the possibilities of cooperation in the sphere of foreign policy. Of course, our positions may differ on various international matters. At the same time, both countries have an opportunity to conduct open friendly consultations. We believe this is important. On the other hand, Turkey and Russia want to develop bilateral relations. Economic cooperation issues are considered by the Mixed Economic Committee. We also have the Public Forum, which involves business circles, artists and representatives of the mass media from both countries. I think the picture can be described in the following way: Turkish-Russian relations are at the level of consistent transformation. A step made in one sphere stimulates cooperation in another sphere. This doesn't happen accidentally. Our states have common views on developments in the world. Our relations are mutually beneficial. Negotiations which will take place within the visit by President Putin to Turkey and the agreements which will be signed will speed up the process.

-          In recent years the level of trade turnover between the countries has grown. What aims does Turkey have in economic cooperation with Russia?

-          We are glad to see that Turkish-Russian economic and trade relations have been developing since the early 1990s. They diversify and deepen. Russia is the major trade partner of Turkey. In 2011 the trade turnover between our countries was about $30 billion. In first nine months of 2012 it reached $24.4 billion, which means that by the end of the year the trade turnover will be about $35 billion. The common aim of the Russian and Turkish authorities is achievement of a volume of $100 billion. The leaders of the two countries have stated this target many times.

The general sum of contracts gained by Turkish contractors is $40 billion from the 1990s to the present day. Turkish contractors achieved big success in carrying out work in Russia, and today they have the same potential. Turkish companies are dealing with important projects which are connected with the Student Olympic Games 2013 in Kazan and the Winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi. We are sure that the Turkish companies will fulfil their duties perfectly, and the projects will bring benefits both to Sochi and Kazan.

We want our companies to build important infrastructural facilities for the Football World Cup 2018, which will be held in various Russian cities. Today Turkish investment in Russia surpasses $10 billion, and the volume of Russian investment in Turkey has been growing in recent years, first of all in such spheres as energy, communication, banking, and the iron industry.

We believe that joint investments by businessmen from both countries into third countries of the Eurasian area will provide Turkish-Russian economic cooperation with new opportunities.

-          The Arab spring was a big surprise for the whole world. Do Russia and Turkey have similar interests in relation to instability in the region?

-          The position of the experts is that changes in the region were unavoidable. But I believe the speed of the changes and their scale became a surprise for certain circles.

As for Turkey and Russia, they have similar views on some aspects of the process, on others they have different views. The international community shares common ideas about the transformations in the region. This concerns the crisis in Syria too. Our mutual aim is stopping the bloodshed in Syria and establishing a constitution which would protect the country’s unity and territorial integrity. We want to see a Syria in which all layers of the population will feel safe, peaceful and calm. There are various views on how to reach this goal. Turkey and Russia discuss the issue at the level of experts and leaders of the country.

-          The missile defense system launched in Europe became a problem in relations between the US and Russia. A part of the system will be located in Turkey. What is Turkey’s position on the issue? How does it correlate with the fact that Ankara cooperates with Iran intensively, against which the missile defense system is directed?

-          The early warning radar which is an element of the missile defense system is located in the province of Malatya. The NATO missile defense system – as it is stressed in its name – has a defensive character. It was developed for defense of the territory of the North Atlantic Alliance from foreign missiles. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the missile defense system is not directed against any certain country. Therefore, states which have no aggressive intentions shouldn’t be afraid of the defense system. Turkish-Iranian relations have a firm grounding. Maintenance of mutual trust is the main priority for us.

-          Moscow and Ankara established contacts on a settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russia was involved in the process of bringing Armenia and Turkey closer. What is the current position of Turkey on these international issues?

-          Relations between Turkey and Russia, based on historal foun have gained a full scale in recent years. We are ready to make necessary steps for enrichment of cooperation. We are happy to see that the Russian side has the same will. Approaching of Turkey and Russia is very beneficial for the region. Both countries experience direct influence of the current problems in the regions. Open and friendly discussion of these themes between Turkey and Russia is very important. In this context the sincere dialogue on Nagorno-Karabakh between Turkey and Russia satisfies us. Answering the second part of your question, I would like to say that our main interest in the South Caucasus is settlement of the current political conflicts by peaceful means and turning it into the region of stability and cooperation.

Progress is of high need in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It should be provided according to the international law and within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. This process has to be peaceful. Turkey wants to develop relations with all their neighbors. Continuation of the process is connected with the will of Armenia to settle problems with their neighbors. It is necessary that Armenia should demonstrate a constructive position on the issue. Turkey believes in necessity of shifting the status quo to the course of complete normalization.