The meeting was also attended by Head of Turkey's National Intelligence Organisation Hakan Fidan.
Taking part in the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Special Presidential Representative for the Syrian Settlement Alexander Lavrentyev.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, friends,
I am pleased to welcome you in Moscow. I know that you have already held consultations with your Russian partners in the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry and representatives of special services.
Relations with Turkey are growing deeper and more substantive, not to mention the regular contacts with President Erdogan. I would like to speak about the deepening cooperation in the economy and on resolving a number of regional issues, including urgent ones like the Syrian crisis. Thanks to our countries’ efforts and the involvement of other concerned states, I mean Iran in particular, as well as our cooperation with the United Nations, European countries and the United States, we have made significant progress towards settling the Syrian crisis. I know that you have also discussed other matters of mutual interest today.
I am glad to see you and to hear your assessment of where we are now and what we have to do in the short and longer term to promote our relations.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (retranslated): Mr President,
First of all, we would like to thank you for receiving us.
Your good friend Mr Erdogan sends his greetings and best regards and expects your visit to Istanbul soon. You have plans to go to a seafood restaurant.
It is true that our relations at the presidential level are very good, and this drives us to promote relations at our level as well. Today our foreign ministers held talks. Our colleagues discussed regional issues at their respective levels. All cooperation matters were discussed. It is very important for us, not only at the state level, but in the regional context as well.
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