ANKARA, April 20. /TASS/. Turkey does not intend to enforce the sanctions introduced by a number of countries against Russia, foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday during his speech in Alanya, streamed by the TRT TV channel.

"We are among the top five strongest NATO members. But we have to keep the interests of our own country as a priority. Consider I join sanctions against Russia. How will Alanya merchants sell their goods in Russia? Yes, if the UN introduces sanctions, I will be bound by them. Still, if I start following sanctions introduced by this or that [country], irrespective of whether they are fair or not, or are against my principles, then I will not be considering the interests of my country anymore," the minister said.

Turkey is demonstrating its position of principle by fully complying with the Montreux Convention, not recognizing the unification of Crimea with Russia and supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the foreign minister said. "Nevertheless, we are not going to ruin our policy of balance in order to show favor to someone," Cavusoglu added.

Turkey has not officially sided with the anti-Russian sanctions of the EU, the US and certain other countries and endeavors to keep a neutral position, including in the interest of achieving success in its mediating efforts to settle the Ukrainian conflict.