Turkish PM calls for face-to-face Russia talks

ANKARA

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has offered a face-to-face meeting to Russian leaders to settle a diplomatic row over the recent downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish jets.

"I call upon Mr. [Vladimir] Putin and all the Russian leadership to handle our issue as we sit face-to-face and talk it over," Davutoglu said.

He was speaking on Friday during a visit to the Azerbaijan Diplomacy Academy in the country’s capital, Baku.

Moscow has announced a series of economic sanctions on trade with Turkey and President Putin has accused Turkey of involvement in oil deals with Daesh.

The fallout comes after an intruding Russian SU-24 was shot down on Nov. 24 by Turkish F-16s near the Syrian border after it ignored a total of ten warnings in five minutes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged Putin and said he will step down if Russian claims that Turkey buys oil from Daesh are proven. He called on Putin to resign if they are not.

Davutoglu expressed his disfavor at the claims by Moscow, saying they will not help find a solution to the dispute.

"Let's not use campaigns against each other that resemble the Cold War era, with claims like 'Turkey supports Daesh', which you [Russia] did not even mention a fortnight ago," the Turkish prime minister said.

During a press conference on Thursday before his plane departed for Azerbaijan, the Turkish premier described the Daesh oil trade claims as lies from a "Soviet propaganda machine".

"We cannot accept, understand or tolerate the recently escalating rhetoric and discourse along with the comments of Russian leaders on Russian TVs which turned into a smear campaign against Turkey," he said.

He reiterated that the crisis posed no problem between Turkish and Russian individuals.

"I am addressing Moscow and all Russian people from here: We do not bear the merest uncertainty, concern or negative feeling towards Russian people. Turks and Russians are two great peoples that shaped the history of Europe and Asia together," he said.

Davutoglu maintained that "honorable people of Turkey" expect respect from "honorable people of Russia".

"Turkey respects the borders of all countries but it also expects those countries to do so for its own borders," he said.

The premier stressed that Turkey did nothing but apply the rules of engagement by exercising its legitimate right to self-defense against an unidentified plane that entered Turkish airspace.

"Nobody can blame Turkey for this or wait for any apology. We will not apologize for protecting our borders," he added.

Davutoglu also warned against a repeat of such incidents as several aerial elements will be flying in the same airspace as part of the anti-Daesh fight, especially after the U.K. announced it will join the international coalition's efforts.

"Then, it is necessary for all [involved] countries to conduct the fight only against Daesh in coordination and within the knowledge of each other.

“Because it means 'serving Daesh' to slaughter Turkmens or drain the moderate opposition in order to sustain the Syrian regime by saying 'We are conducting operation against Daesh'," he added.

The Turkish premier further called on Russia to act in concert with the U.S.-led international coalition and jointly fight against Daesh.

Touching upon the recent sanctions Russia announced on Turkish goods and a ban on reciprocal flights, Davutoglu said they believed embargoes will serve no side and can never "bring Turkey to heel".

He recalled Ankara's support for Moscow after the U.S. and EU imposed sanctions on Russia for its role in the conflict in Ukraine.

"It is a huge discrepancy for Russia to place sanctions against Turkey while it did not take kindly to those imposed on itself by other countries. Those who think economic embargoes will bring Turkey and the Turkish nation to heel, are mistaken," he added.

Davutoglu also called upon the Russian side to enhance economic cooperation rather than impose sanctions.

"Let's boost economic cooperation instead of economic sanctions. Let's reinforce our friendship by not preventing our Russian friends from coming to Turkey but enabling more Turks to go to Russia," he said.

Davutoglu's plane departed for Ankara after he concluded his talks in Baku.

Thursday saw the first high-level contact between Ankara and Moscow during a private meeting of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the OSCE summit in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.

Following the meeting, Cavusoglu said Ankara expected a "recovery" in its strained relationship with Russia but warned that the process would require patience as they want an end to "groundless accusations".