1st LD Writethru: Putin says Russia ready to normalize ties with Turkey

Russia is ready to start restoring its relationship with Turkey and normalize bilateral ties, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday in a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The two leaders also agreed to consider the possibility of a face-to-face meeting in the near future, according to a Kremlin statement.

The phone call between the two sides came after Erdogan sent a message of apologies to Putin on Monday over the downing of a Russian warplane in November last year, voicing his readiness to mend ties after the incident.

Putin said over the phone that the message created preconditions for turning the "crisis page" in bilateral relations and beginning the process of resuming collaboration on international and regional issues as well as on the development of the entire range of Russian-Turkish relations, the statement said.

He expressed hope that the judicial investigation of a Turkish citizen allegedly responsible for the death of a Russian pilot of the downed plane would be objective.

The Russian leader said he had instructed the government to start negotiations with Turkish authorities to restore cooperation in trade, economy and other areas.

Moscow also planned to lift restrictions for Russian tourists traveling to Turkey, provided the Turkish government takes additional steps to ensure the security of Russian citizens, he added.

Putin also expressed condolences over Tuesday's terrorist attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport, which claimed at least 36 lives, the statement said, adding that both sides emphasized the need to intensify international cooperation in the fight against the common threat of terrorism.

Foreign ministers of both countries are scheduled to meet on Friday in the Russian resort of Sochi at a meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization to discuss the further development of Russian-Turkish relations. Endi