Russia calls on Turkey to take first step in plane crisis
14:40, 30/05/2016, MondayU: Update: 15:05, 30/05/2016, Monday
Yeni Şafak
Russian spokesman says no working group is able to solve the plane crisis between Moscow and Ankara; mending ties will be possible if Turkish government takes first step
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that relations may be put back on track only if Turkey takes the first step with the aim of mending relations which have been strained since the plane crisis in late November.
“No working group is able to sort out this problem. It is only Turkey who can accomplish this. President Putin explained the steps we expect Turkey to take when he was in Athens," Peskov told reporters.
Peskov's remarks came after Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu proposed creating a joint working group with Russia in order to identify ways of normalizing relations between the two countries.
"No working group will manage to resolve the problem. Only the Turkish leadership can do that. Moscow is waiting for the actions President Vladimir Putin mentioned in Athens," he said.
Relation between Turkey and Russia have been strained since the downing of an SU-24 Russian bomber in Turkish airspace last November.
Turkey stated that Russia violated its airspace and has refused to apologize for the action.