MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/. Disagreements on some international issues have not prevented Moscow and Ankara from holding an intensive political dialogue and cultivating cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the newspaper Argumenty I Fakty on Monday.
"Indeed, we have serious disagreements with Ankara on some international issues. However, this does not prevent us from maintaining an intensive political dialogue with [our] Turkish partners and developing mutually beneficial cooperation in very diverse spheres, from energy to tourism," Russia’s top diplomat emphasized.
Turkey, which is a NATO member country, has implemented a large contract on the purchase of the latest S-400 ‘Triumf’ surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, despite Washington’s strong pressure, Lavrov recalled.
"Therefore, without downplaying the existing disagreements, we will continue to follow the strategic vision of our common interests in fostering interaction with Turkey. I am confident that this meets the aspirations of both the Russian and Turkish peoples," the top diplomat emphasized.