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Turkish expert: Opinion on Turkey should change in Russia

06 August 2009 17:20 (UTC +04:00)

Istanbul. Mayis Alizadeh- APA. â€œAfter the cold war ended, especially beginning from 2000s, old rivalry between Turkey and Russia turned into cooperation. Concrete example of this cooperation is the discussion and contracts on energy issues. Until recently Russia had no problems in delivering its gas to the European market. Ukraine and Eastern Europe countries were main transit countries for Russia. But admission of the Eastern Europe countries to EU and development of Ukraineâ€™s relations with Atlantic world made Russia seek alternative ways. Therefore, ground of the cooperation between Turkey and Russia appeared naturally,â€ Hasan Kanbolat, director of Middle. East Strategic Research Centre told APAâ€™s Turkey bureau while assessing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putinâ€™s working visit to Turkey. According to Kanbolat, trade turnover is turning against Turkey every year.

The expert said if on July 13 when agreement on NABUCCO was signed in Ankara, Russia saw it as an alternative to itself, now the probability of its supplying the project with gas has increased.
â€œNow we see that trans-Black Sea gas pipeline Blue Stream-2 will supply NABUCCO with gas. Moreover, Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline has come to the fore. Kazakh oil will also be delivered to the world market through Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline, this will strengthen Turkeyâ€™ position. Italy will also join it. So, we see that Russia turns from Burgaz-Dedeagac pipeline to Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline. Final signatures are expected to be affixed in the tender of nuclear power plants. Cooperation between Turkey and Russia in the region is also important in terms of cooperation in Eurasia. It should not be forgotten that as Turkey-Russia relations are improving, it is impossible to say the same thing about Russia-Turkey relations. Though trade turnover between the two countries is $38 billion, the situation is 80 percent against Turkey. Turkey can only export goods worth $6 billion to Russia. There remains negative opinion on Turkey in Russia, but there is no negative opinion on Russia in Turkey. Russia should change the way of thinking remaining from the cold war in terms of Turkey,â€ he said.