(Vatican Radio) Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Saturday's attack on a Kurdish wedding party killed at least 54 people, many of them children, while injuring some 70 others.
Putin's message came amid attempts by Moscow to improve ties with Ankara as Turkey is seen as both a strategic nation for Russia and the NATO-military alliance. Yet, it has done little to ease remaining tensions over the conflict in Ukraine.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
In a telegram Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday's attack in Turkey's
southeastern city of Gaziantep was in his words shocking in its "cruelty and cynicism".
It was reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber aged between 12 and 14. Putin said
the attack once again showed that "terrorism doesn't recognize not only the laws of
civilized society but also the very basic norms of human morality."
The Kremlin said Putin also conveyed Russia's readiness to increase counter-terrorism
cooperation with Turkey, including following through on agreements the two presidents
reached during their recent talks in Russia.
Putin and Turkish President Erdogan met two weeks ago for the first time since they
decided to mend relations soured by Turkey's downing of a Russian military aircraft
along the Syrian border in November.
Yet differences remain over at least some issues, including Russia's annexation of
Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
'CRIMEA IS UKRAINIAN'
Over the weekend, Turkish President Erdogan reportedly reassured his Ukrainian counterpart
Petro Poroshenko that Ankara will continue to recognize the Crimean Peninsula as Ukrainian
territory.
The Ukrainian presidential press service said Erdogan told Poroshenko that Turkey
has not changed its "unwavering position regarding its support of Ukraine's independence
and territorial integrity in the country's internationally recognized borders."
Since Russia's annexation of the peninsula, Erdogan, who backed Ukraine in the conflict,
had frequently denounced the reported persecution of the Tatar minority by local authorities.
His latest comments came however at a sensitive time.
Thousands of Russian land and naval forces have been practicing moving hardware and
troops into Crimea. The exercises on the peninsula come as a fragile ceasefire in
eastern Ukraine is threatened -- by the deadliest month of fighting in a year between
Ukrainian troops and Moscow-backed separatists.
UKRAINE'S 'SABOTAGE PLOT'
Additionally Putin has expressed anger over an alleged sabotage plot by Kiev. "It
seems that our partners in Kiev have decided to exacerbate the situation," Putin said
while visiting Crimea last week.
"It is clear that they do it because they do not want or they cannot comply with the
Minsk peace agreement. I hope this will not be the final choice of our partners
and that common sense will prevail. We're not going to completely end our relationship
despite the lack of willingness of the Ukrainian authorities to have full
diplomatic relations at an ambassadorial Level," Putin told the Security Council in
Crimea.
Kiev has denied wrongdoing and Ukrainian President Poroshenko has warned of a Russian
invasion.
Despite different views on Ukraine, Moscow and Ankara seek closer ties. Though Turkey
claims it wants to remain in the Western NATO-military alliance, it
also seeks closer relations with non-NATO nations such as Russia. It comes amid mounting
tensions with the West over the aftermath of a recent failed coup
attempt.
The West has criticized Turkey's government for detaining tens of thousands of people
following the coup.
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