Turkish deputy PM in Moscow for trade talks

By Emre Gurkan Abay

MOSCOW

A Turkish delegation led by Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek held meetings with Russian officials in Moscow on Tuesday.

Tweeting after a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, Simsek said Turkey was "committed to improving [economic] ties".

Accompanying Simsek, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci also said on Twitter that the aim was "to reach the real potential in trade relations with Russia".

Simsek said the delegations would meet again in early May.

Last Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said there had been "some obstacles" to agricultural trade with Russia.

Turkey imports some $3 billion in agricultural goods from Russia annually.

Trade and other barriers have been falling since Ankara and Moscow mended fences over the 2015 downing of a Russian fighter jet along the Syrian border.