The deputy head of the Council of the Russian Diplomats Association, Andrey Baklanov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, commented on Putin's visit to Turkey. According to him, the main achievement of the meeting of the Russian and Turkish presidents, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which was held yesterday on the sidelines of the World Energy Congress in Istanbul, was an approval of the strategic plans of the bilateral energy cooperation, while political issues were set aside.
"The main focus of Putin's visit to Istanbul was energy. It is very important that the Russian-Turkish energy cooperation was discussed by the Presidents in favorable terms, speeding up the implementation of the Turkish stream. The meeting showed that the dynamics of our energy relations is being restored, and this event is quite significant in our difficult situation in the energy sector," he stressed.
In general, according to the diplomat, the relations between the countries have become normal and constructive. "The conflict has been settled; its acute phase was over, when the apology was accepted. Now it is a question of how and in what direction the restoration and further development of the relations will go from here. Each dossier has its own speed, because some bitter aftertaste remains. It requires an additional examination of all the issues and additional safeguards in the agreements, which were not required before," Andrey Baklanov believes.
The effectiveness of the settlement of the economic issues between the countries at the highest level does not mean that political differences, particularly on the Syrian settlement, can be settled just as quickly. "These are different issues; they are not connected with each other. The only thing worth to mention is the emergence of platforms and opportunities for more rapid exchange of views on the Syrian issue," the diplomat pointed out.
Speaking of the importance of the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s efforts in the settlement of the Russian-Turkish relations, Andrey Baklanov noted that Baku's role as a mediator in a dialogue between Moscow and Ankara is traditional. "It plays a stabilizing role in our contacts. Azerbaijan has repeatedly stressed that it actively supports good relations between the two neighbors, Russia and Turkey. It makes life easier for Azerbaijan as well. I think that the Azerbaijani leader is sincerely interested in the Russian-Turkish dialogue, because he understands the nuances of the regional situation better than others. His role is very important," the deputy head of the Council of the Russian Diplomats Association concluded.
