Russian President's Aide Sergei Prikhodko assigns priority to Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey. In his opinion, this visit will raise Russian-Turkish relations to a qualitatively new level of many-sided partnership.
Mr. Prikhodko is convinced that this is one of Vladimir Putin's most important trips. "Turkey has always been a NATO outpost and confrontation was artificially maintained in our relations. Now we have a chance to make them normal," he noted.
The two countries do not need mutual confrontation. Turkey is the favorite vacationland for millions of Russians. They feel at home in this country. Turkey is Russia's 14th trade partner leaving behind Japan, India and South Korea. It accounts for over 3% of Russian trade turnover (5% considering gray imports). According to Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko, in 2004 Russian-Turkish trade turnover will total over $10 billion.
On its part, Russian holds the 2nd and 8th places in Turkey's imports and exports.
Fuel and energy products (72%), mainly natural gas, as well as metals (16%), and chemical goods (4%) are the basis of Russian exports.
Textiles (30%), machinery and transport means (23%), chemical goods (14.8%) and food products (14.7%) dominate Russian imports from Turkey.
Moreover, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Russian companies take an active part in tenders on the construction of hydroelectric and thermoelectric power plants and power transmission lines in Turkey. Turkish companies have always been active on the Russian building market. They made deals worth $12 billion in the last 10-15 years in Russia and implemented 50% of the projects.
Both Russia and Turkey hope that the new pragmatic relations between the two countries will be developing more rapidly. According to Viktor Khristenko, his Turkish counterparts want to double the bilateral trade in the next few years.
