MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Russia will continue to explain its position on Crimea to Turkey in a patient and steady manner, this issue remains a source of serious differences between both states, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"Crimea is an issue that causes serious differences, we are of completely opposite opinions," he stressed. "We will continue to explain our steady position on Crimea to our Turkish vis-a-vis." "We are explaining our position to our Turkish friends, and we will continue to do so in a patient and steady manner," Peskov added. He added that reviewing the political status of Crimea "cannot be discussed in any way."

According to Peskov, the relations between Russia and Turkey are important to both states from the viewpoint of regional security and stability. "These relations are of a mutually beneficial nature, and they are based on the principles of non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs and on the respect for each other’s interests," the spokesman stressed.

On December 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated on the outcomes of the talks with his Ukrainian colleague Dmitry Kuleba in Ankara that Turkey welcomes Kiev’s initiative to create the so-called Crimea platform to negotiate matters related to the peninsula. Earlier, the Ukrainian government informed of this initiative, which is aimed to return Crimea to Ukraine and defend the rights of its local population, which, according to Kiev, are being persecuted. In October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed that he does not recognize Crimea as part of Russia.

After the coup d’etat in Ukraine in February 2014, Crimea and Sevastopol officials held a referendum, in which 96.7% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol voters chose to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. Eighty percent of the voting population participated in the referendum. The Russian president signed the reunification deal on March 18, 2014, which the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament) ratified on March 21. Despite the results of the referendum, Kiev, along with various predominantly Western countries, refused to recognize Crimea as a part of Russia.