President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral relations, tourism, the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the Nagorno-Karabakh region and Syria in a phone call Thursday.
Erdoğan expressed satisfaction over the resumption of flights from Russia to Turkey from June 22, and said they will discuss the steps to be taken to reach the target of $100 billion trade volume between two countries at the Joint Economic Commission meeting scheduled for July 30 in Moscow, said a statement from the Turkish Communications Directorate.
Noting that he personally witnessed the destruction caused by the Armenian forces in the region during his visit to Azerbaijan's Shusha city, Erdoğan emphasized that Armenia should now focus on peace and cooperation and that the trilateral declarations between Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia should be fully implemented, the statement said.
The leaders exchanged views on the situation concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh region that Azerbaijan liberated last year from decades of Armenian occupation. They made a positive assessment of the efforts of a joint Russian-Turkish center monitoring the resulting cease-fire in the region, the Kremlin statement said.
"The President of Turkey expressed support for Russia's efforts to ensure the full implementation of the agreements set in the Statements of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan from November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021," it added.
It also noted that Putin and Erdoğan confirmed their mutual readiness to continue coordination, including in the interests of economic development and rebuilding the region's transport infrastructure.
During the visit, pledging support for the revival and reconstruction of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh, Erdoğan called on regional countries to join efforts of cooperation for peace and stability.
Turkey believes that permanent peace is possible through mutual security-based cooperation among states and people in the South Caucasus region, Erdoğan said as he addressed Azerbaijan's National Assembly in the capital Baku.
"Not only Azerbaijan, but all countries in the region, including Armenia, and the world will benefit from peace and tranquility in the Caucasus," he said.
Erdoğan also stated that the "Zangezur Corridor" will not only benefit Turks or Azerbaijanis but also Armenians who can use railways connecting different parts of the world and terminate their self-imposed isolation.
Zangezur was part of Azerbaijan, but in the 1920s the Soviets gave the region to Armenia. After this move, Azerbaijan lost its link with Nakhchivan. Azerbaijani projects in the Zangezur corridor will include highways and rail lines which would stretch across territories of Armenia's Syunik region. Following the completion of the railway, Azerbaijan will be able to reach Iran, Armenia and Nakhchivan uninterruptedly by train.
The president reiterated his proposal for a six-nation platform comprising Turkey, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia for permanent peace, stability and cooperation in the region.
Erdoğan also said the Syrian regime has increased violations on the ground, adding YPG/PKK terror group has also intensified terrorist attacks, as seen in its targeting of a hospital in Afrin, it added.
The presence of terrorists in the region poses a serious threat to security, Erdoğan added.
In the statement, Kremlin said Erdoğan also voiced appreciation for the start of deliveries of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.
Putin, for his part, shared his impressions on his last week's meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva, the statement said.
Reviewing the situation in Syria, both presidents stressed the importance of the joint work by the Russian and Turkish militaries aimed at preventing the escalation of tensions in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib as well as in the northeast and in the fight against terrorist groups in these regions.
They also agreed to continue personal contacts and joint work at other levels.
