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Turkey confirms intention to send astronauts to Russia for training

Russia and Turkey will draft a framework agreement on space cooperation, according to the Russian space corporation head

MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. Turkey has confirmed its intention to send astronauts to Russia for training, as follows from a report uploaded to the website of the Russian space corporation Roscosmos on Thursday following a working meeting between Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin and Turkey’s Ambassador to Russia Mehmet Samsar.

"The Turkish side confirmed its original plans for having its astronauts trained in the Star City," the news release runs. "In the conversation topical issues concerning mutually beneficial cooperation in space were discussed. The two sides noted the great potential and importance of this theme in relations between the two countries," the news release adds.

Earlier, the Roscosmos CEO said a Turkish astronaut might go to the International Space Station in 2021-2023.

He invited the Turkish delegation to participate in a joint space program during the international aerospace show MAKS-2019 in August. The Roscosmos CEO assumes that a Turkish astronaut’s fight might be timed for the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan viewed the proposal as "very interesting and a great honor."

Framework agreement on space cooperation

Russia and Turkey have agreed to draft a framework agreement on space cooperation, the news release on Roscosmos' website reports. "It was agreed to start work on drafting a framework inter-governmental agreement on space cooperation between the two countries."