Turkiye Sees Potential For Boosting Ties With SCO — Erdogan
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ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkiye is open to upgrading its ties with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), though this would not amount to a shift away from the West, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.»From our point of view, it is quite possible to bring the relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to a higher level in the near future. I would also like to emphasize the following in particular. The prospect of Turkiye’s membership in the organization in no case means breaking away from any bloc or turning its back on the West. Our goal is to strengthen our own influence, guided by a comprehensive vision,» Erdogan told reporters on his return from Bishkek. Turkiye maintains bilateral trade and economic relations with the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the president noted. «Everyone can already see that the vast region stretching from China to Central Asia and from Russia to South Asia holds great opportunities for Turkiye in terms of trade and economy. Significant progress has been made in our relations with the organization in recent years, which is a reflection of our approach to multilateral foreign policy,» Erdogan said.Erdogan noted that he had discussed all issues covering bilateral relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek.»We discussed with Putin all the issues on the agenda of our bilateral relations,» Erdogan told reporters when asked about whether the issue of the future of the Russian S-400 air defense systems in Turkiye was discussed at the meeting.The Turkish president also underscored the need to establish a mechanism for safe navigation in the Black Sea, adding that Ankara is concerned about a food crisis unfolding in Africa due to the predicament in the region and believes that proactive steps are necessary.Erdogan described his talks with Putin in Bishkek as productive, noting that the topic of Ukraine was raised during the dialogue.»We held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Putin. During this meeting, we also had the opportunity to discuss, in particular, the events in Ukraine, and it turned out to be very fruitful. The meeting was held in a very, very frank atmosphere,» Erdogan told reporters on the plane after returning from Bishkek.The Turkish leader added that he expressed Ankara’s readiness to assist in reaching a peace settlement in Ukraine.On Tuesday, the Russian and Turkish presidents held talks on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit sidelines in Bishkek.
WorldRussia Open to Turkiye-Mediated Talks With Ukraine But No Groundwork Laid Yet — Kremlin30 August, 16:13 GMT
