Despite Rifts Over Syria Crisis, Turkey-Russia Ties Still Strong
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Russian President Putin met in Moscow just as news broke that a bombing in Damascus had killed Syria’s defense minister and his deputy. Tulin Daloglu reports that despite their differences over Syria, the leaders acted as though all was business as usual regarding their strategic partnership of strong trade ties.
The expressions on the faces of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed little apparent convergence of views regarding Syria despite the dramatic developments unfolding in the Syrian capital.
The two met in Moscow Wednesday (July 18, 2012) just as news broke that a massive bombing in Damascus had killed Syria’s defense minister and his deputy — a relative of and close aide to President Bashar al-Assad.
Putin looked emotionless as usual while Erdogan appeared uneasy and under stress. The Russian leader skirted Syria in his opening remarks, saying only that the two men discussed the issue. In response to a question, Putin added that he considers Turkish support for a Russian-brokered agreement reached in Geneva earlier this month as important. But that diplomacy appears overtaken by events as the Assad regime continues to unravel.
Returning to Turkey after the one-day visit to Moscow, Erdogan reiterated that “in Geneva, our foreign minister has already said that [we support] a transition government that does not include Assad — at all.” The Russians, however, have not agreed publicly to jettisoning Assad. They note that the Geneva plan says only that a transition government must be formed by “mutual consent” between the regime and its opponents.
