Russian leader Putin shecudeld to visit Turkey

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks during his address at an investment conference in Moscow October 2, 2012. Russia's economy should sustain its current 4 percent growth rate over the next three years, Putin said on Tuesday. REUTERS/Alexsey Druginyn/RIA Novosti/Pool

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Turkey in two weeks, with an economy-focused agenda.
A Russian mission will come to Turkey within the scope of a High Level Cooperation Council meeting which starts on Oct. 14 and Putin may participate in the meeting on Oct. 15, Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry had earlier said that energy issues would primarily be discussed during Putin’s visit. However, recent developments in Syria and the claims about potential Russian involvement in the downing of a Turkish jet in Syrian territorial waters may inevitably also be discussed.

Russia is the largest natural gas seller to Turkey, the latter generating more than half of its power with Russian fuel. Ankara is trying to hand control of natural gas purchases through Russia’s West Line to private firms. Turkey also buys Russian gas via the Blue Stream, which passes through the Black Sea. The South Stream, Russia’s planned pipeline to feed Europe, will also be on the table during Putin’s visit, daily Zaman had earlier reported. However, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) - a $7 billion Azeri-Turkish project to carry Caspian gas to Turkey - stands as a strong alternative to the relatively immature South h Stream. Russia’s Rosatom is also developing Turkey’s first nuclear plant in the southern province of Mersin.

Putin and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met up in Moscow in July. Erdoğan is shceduled to visit Azerijan on Oct. 16