Business

Editor: Sharon Li
3 Sep 2008 03:04:46 GMT

ANKARA (AFP)–Turkey’s Foreign Trade Minister warned Friday that his country would implement trade restrictions against Russia next week in retaliation for what he called similar measures against Turkish exports.

“We will put our own package of measures in place against Russia starting on Monday…We will in stages implement the same measures to Russian exports under the principle of reciprocity,” Kursad Tuzmen said in televised remarks.

However, he left the door open to reconciliation, saying that statesmanship called for both countries to work towards a solution, rather than take measures that would hit the trade volume.

This week, Ankara complained that Turkish trucks were being delayed at Russian customs posts for no apparent reason, in a move that it said hurt Turkish exports to its biggest trading partner.

Turkish newspapers have reported that for the past month Russian customs officials have subjected Turkish trucks to such extensive searches that the drivers had to wait for days.

Asked whether the Russian measures were triggered by Turkey’s stance in the conflict with Georgia, Tuzmen said: “I do not want to describe what is happening as retaliation. That is not how I want to see it.”

Turkey has expressed firm support for Georgia’s territorial integrity since Russia sent forces into Georgian territory this month and then recognized two secessionist Georgian territories as independent states.

But Ankara has refrained from openly condemning Moscow’s actions.

Russia is Turkey’s biggest trading partner - bilateral trade volume reached $28.2 billion dollars last year - and its principal natural gas supplier.

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