It is time to discuss new prospects of cooperation with Russia rather than the recent crisis, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an exclusive interview with Tass Russian News Agency ahead of the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Turkey.

Russia’s top diplomat will meet with his Turkish counterpart in the resort city Alanya on December 1.

"We should not speak about how to return our relations to the pre-crisis level. We should discuss how to develop them further and bring them to new heights," Cavusoglu said.

"Our government has never looked at relations with Russia from the viewpoint of narrow and limited prospects. Our focus is on $100 bln trade, the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and other major projects," he said.

Russia and Turkey have become the two countries that can easily implement these multi billion dollar projects, Cavusoglu stressed. 

"I’m sure that in the coming years we will have many other possibilities to fulfill these joint projects that due to their scale will leave in the shadow the above mentioned ones."

Turkey’s top priority now is to "bring the maximum possible benefit to the people of two countries and the region."

Cavusoglu has called on Russia to fully lift all restrictions on supplies of Turkish foodstuffs to the Russian market.

"It is necessary to lift all existing restrictions, imposed to reduce Turkish exports of food and agricultural products," he said.

Source: MENA