03 December 2018•Update: 03 December 2018
By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
A Muslim delegation from the North Caucasus region of Russia paid a visit to the Turkish parliament on Monday.
Ahmet Berat Conkar, head of the Turkish-Russian Social Forum, received the delegation led by Ismail Berdiev, mufti and chair of the Coordination Centre of Muslims of the North Caucasus, in the capital Ankara.
Conkar told reporters that Russia was an important and valuable neighbor for Turkey.
"Our Muslim brothers and brothers of Turkish origin in Russia form the most important circle of our relations [with Russia]," said Conkar, Istanbul lawmaker of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.
He added: "They play an important role as a bridge for our relations."
The Muslim community reached around 25 million in Russia that has a population of 144.5 million, according to Grand Mufti of Russia Sheikh Rawil Gaynetdin.
Following the meeting, Conkar showed Berdiev and his delegation the sections of the Turkish parliament that had been bombed during the defeated coup of July 15, 2016.
Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which martyred 251 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.
