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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Russia's Lavrov moves to defuse mounting tensions with Turkey |
| 2008-09-03 |
| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday his country was not discriminating against Turkey in trade relations and that both sides would soon hold talks to resolve a customs row. "There is no discrimination against Turkey ... We are in favor of pursuing trade ties with Turkey," Lavrov said through a translator after talks with his Turkish counterpart, Ali Babacan. Without giving names, Lavrov said some countries had breached Russian customs regulations, forcing authorities to take stricter measures and enforce tighter controls. He added that Russian customs officials had proposed a simplified system for importing Turkish goods. "Our customs authorities will hold talks soon and resolve this issue," the minister said. Last week Turkey complained that Turkish trucks were held up at Russian customs posts through extensive searches. On Monday, Turkish Foreign Trade Minister Kursad Tuzmen was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying that Russian goods were being subjected to similar inspections in a retaliatory measure, but the government denied that was the case. There has been speculation here that the Russian move is linked to Turkish support for neighboring Georgia, and especially Ankara's decision to allow US warships to pass through the Turkish Straits into the Black Sea to deliver humanitarian aid to Tbilisi. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Because unlike the rest of NATO, Turkey is prepared to fight. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2008-09-03 16:56 |