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Turkish deputy PM to visit Moscow on July 26-27

Representatives of the Energy Ministry may also be included in the Turkish delegation

MOSCOW/TOKYO, July 20. /TASS/. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Murettin Canikli is expected to visit Moscow on July 26-27 to discuss resuming bilateral trade and economic relations with Russian officials, a source familiar with preparations for the meeting said on Wednesday.

"In accordance with information provided by the Turkish Embassy, we are expecting a high-level delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli. A note was received that mentions the deputy prime minister and economy minister," the source said.

Representatives of the Energy Ministry may also be included in the Turkish delegation, he added. "That’s why Alexander Valentinovich Novak will possibly hold a separate meeting on energy issues," the source continued.

Russian Deputy Economic Development Minister Alexey Likhachev confirmed to journalists in Tokyo that preparations were underway for the meeting. "We received an order from the Russian government to prepare for the meeting on July 26-27 at the level of both the government and Economic Development Ministry and inter-governmental commission," Likhachev said.

On June 27, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, told reporters Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent Russian President Vladimir Putin a message in which he apologized for the downed Su-24 plane and "underscored the readiness to do everything possible for restoration of the traditionally friendly relations between Turkey and Russia."

On June 29, the presidents had a telephone conversation - first in the past seven months, where they agreed to consider a meeting. After the conversation, Putin ordered the government to begin discussions with Ankara for resuming cooperation in trade and other spheres.

The Turkish Air Force’s F-16 fighter on November 24, 2015 shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M bomber, involved in Russia's antiterrorism operation in Syria, that Ankara claimed violated the country’s airspace on the border with Syria.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Su-24M was above Syrian territory and "there was no violation of Turkey’s airspace." Pilot Oleg Peshkov was killed by militants from the ground after ejecting, the second pilot was rescued and taken to the Russian base. The incident resulted in the severing of nearly all trade and economic ties between the two countries. Ankara refused to apologize for the downed jet and death of the pilot. Moscow put the blame for the incident on the Turkish authorities.