Ankara knows precisely what needs to be done in order to normalize relations with Moscow and that is to stop making up claims against Russia and to start acting within the framework of intergovernmental relations, Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Alexei Meshkov said, Sputnik International news agency reported.
Relations between Russia and Turkey deteriorated after Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian SU-24 bomber on Nov. 24, 2015. Turkey said the bomber entered its airspace, while Russia denied its warplane flying into the Turkish skies.
Earlier, Meshkov said that Turkish authorities should compensate Russia for the downing of the Su-24 bomber jet in November 2015, as well as apologize and guarantee that this does not happen again. The Turkish Foreign Ministry's spokesman said that Ankara had no intentions of doing this.
"The Turkish side knows very well what needs to be done in order to return to normal Russian-Turkish relations," Meshkov said. "What we said several weeks ago still stands today."
"Instead of intensifying the situation and making completely invented claims against Russia, it would be better to look into the mirror and do what is done within civilized intergovernmental relations," Meshkov said. "Our position hasn't changed."