President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a letter to his Russian counterpart calling for the restoration of “traditional friendly ties,” Turkey`s presidential spokesman confirmed on Monday, AzVision.az reports citing Anadolu Agency.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Ibrahim Kalin said that Erdogan expressed “deep regret” over last year`s shooting down of a Russian warplane which violated Turkey`s airspace.
“I would like to send my condolences to the family of the pilot who lost his life and express one more time that I share their pain. I am saying to his family: `Excuse us`," said Kalin, quoting Erdogan`s words to President Vladimir Putin contained in the letter.
Kalin added that Erdogan used the communication to call for anti-terrorist cooperation between Turkey and Russia and joint efforts to solve regional crises.
The spokesman added that Ankara and Moscow had agreed to take necessary steps to improve relations.
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17:35
Vladimir Putin has received a letter in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized for the death of the Russian pilot who was killed when a Russian jet was downed over the Syrian-Turkish border last November, AzVision.az reports citing the Russian Media.
Erdogan expressed readiness to restore relations with Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
“The head of the Turkish state expressed his deep sympathy and condolences to the relatives of the deceased Russian pilot and said `sorry,`” Peskov said.
In his letter, Erdogan called Russia “a friend and a strategic partner” of Ankara, with whom the Turkish authorities would not want to spoil relations.
“We never had a desire or a deliberate intention to down an aircraft belonging to Russia,” the letter read, according to a statement published on the Kremlin website.
Turkish president `s spokesman comments on Erdogan `s letter to Putin - UPDATED
28 June 2016
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