Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 3
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Russia has nothing to do in Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, TRT Haber TV channel reported Dec. 3.
He said that the Syrian people and Turkey have much in common, in particular, earlier, the Syrian territory was as part of the Ottoman Empire.
"Moreover, the ethnic Turks live in the Syrian territory," he said. "This is one of the factors of Turkey's active policy in Syria."
Turkey-Russia relations deteriorated after the Turkish Air Force shot down the Russian Su-24 warplane Nov. 24.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Dec.3 that the anti-Turkish statements made by Russian authorities are similar to the spirit of former USSR.
"Turkey hoped that Russia has got rid of the USSR's propaganda rhetoric, but facts show quite the opposite," he added. "No one believes in the anti-Turkish propaganda but Russian authorities."
A meeting of the Turkish and Russian foreign ministers is expected to be held Dec. 3 to resolve the crisis between the two countries. The meeting will be held as part of the OSCE Ministerial Council, being held in Belgrade.
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