Russia has become Turkey’s

[Sari Galin]

ABDULLAH GÜL

Relations between Turkey and Russia are well established, going back 500 years. Russia is a very important neighbor of Turkey as the Soviet Union was the first country to recognize the Ankara government during the national War of Independence.

Since the emergence of the Russian Federation as an independent international player in the early 1990s, Turkish-Russian relations entered a new era. In this new era, our economic and commercial ties serve as the driving force behind our relations and a remarkable improvement can be seen in this field -- particularly in recent years. With this in mind, I believe there are currently no political problems between the two countries.

Our economic and commercial relations have improved remarkably. In this framework, Russia became Turkey's largest trading partner, with a total trade volume of about $38 billion in 2008.

Thanks to the Blue Stream project, commissioned in 2003, our partnership in the field of energy acquired a strategic aspect, and we are currently procuring two-thirds of our natural gas requirements and about 25 percent of our oil demand from this project. The total value of projects undertaken by Turkish construction companies in Russia so far has topped $30 billion, corresponding to about one-fourth of all projects carried out by Turkish contractors around the world. Moreover, the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey was around 3 million in 2008. All these figures are clear proof of the level of our economic and commercial relations. Indeed, as part of events held in 2007, celebrated as the Year of Russian Culture in Turkey, and 2008, the Year of Turkish Culture in Russia, successful activities were held to promote tourism as well as closer cooperation between the two nations.

The stances both countries have developed toward international and regional issues overlap to a large extent. Regular consultation mechanisms are continuously employed at various levels between our foreign services.

The objective of the "Joint Declaration on Improvement of Friendship and Multidimensional Partnership between the Turkish Republic and the Russian Federation," agreed upon during former Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey in December 2004, is considered to have "strengthened the multidimensional partnership." Since 2004, high-level visits between the two countries have increased and our relations have advanced to a heightened level, improving our multidimensional partnership.

Considering this, I am planning to visit Moscow and Kazan on Feb. 12 to 15, 2009. During the visit, I will speak with President Dmitry Medvedev about the roadmap of our relations, which we expect to improve even further.

I also plan to discuss regional and international issues with President Medvedev. I believe that this visit will accelerate our bilateral relations and cooperation. As a matter of fact, top-level visits conducted in the past positively contributed to the relations and cooperation between our two countries in all areas -- particularly in political and economic matters -- and created an amicable atmosphere that facilitated the settlement of all issues, including certain technical and bureaucratic problems.

As part of my visit, I will pay a visit to the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation, regarded as one of the prosperous regions in Russia and with which Turkey has special relations. While there, I will meet with Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev.

It is my conviction that the maintenance and improvement of our relations with the Russian Federation will reinforce positive sentiments our nations feel toward each other and that Turkish-Russian relations and cooperation will contribute to regional peace and stability. Availing myself of this opportunity, I would like to extend my best wishes and regards to the people of the Russian Federation.

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