News Analysis: Assassination of Russian envoy could accelerate rapprochement between Russia, Turkey

The assassination of a Russian envoy in Turkey could rather get Ankara and Moscow closer and pave the way for further cooperation against the international terrorism, local experts say.

The murder of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov, who was killed on Monday by a Turkish police officer in Ankara, seems to produce positive outcomes in contrary to strain in relations between Turkey and Russia, a retired Turkish ambassador to France, Belgium and Libya, Uluc Ozulker, told Xinhua.

Citing strained ties between Ankara and Moscow over downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey in 2015, Ozulker said that the normalization process between the two states was rather slow as Russia was dragging its heels, but the latest incident could accelerate rapprochement.

Ozulker recalled Russian President Vladimir Putin's initial statement in the wake of the attack, as Moscow pledged to enhance cooperation against terrorism instead of using a harsh rhetoric against Turkey. "Assassination could turn out to be a blessing in disguise," he said.

Russia, Turkey and Iran have agreed to jointly act on Syria, one day after Karlov was killed in the Turkish capital, the expert stated that Moscow did not cancel the tripartite meeting despite the assassination.

Turkey and Russia, along with Iran, appear to be prominent actors for a solution in the Syrian crisis, Ozulker said, adding that the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will be likely to cooperate with Putin over the Syrian crisis as well.

"These actors could provide a general ceasefire in Syria," he said.

Both Turkey and Russia were constructive in their initial reactions after the incident, according to Cenk Baslamis, an expert on Russia, former correspondent of Turkish daily Milliyet in Moscow and a lecturer in Istanbul University.

The two countries obviously have taken lessons from the developments after the downing of the Russian plane, he said, as leaders of the two countries were positive in their statements, instead of declaiming, Baslamis said.

The top leaders of Russia and Turkey had a conversation via telephone immediately after the incident, expressing their willingness to jointly investigate the assassination and intensify their cooperation in anti-terrorism.

Putin described the murder as "a provocation aimed at derailing the normalization of Russian-Turkish relations and the peace process in Syria."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly condemned the murder of Russian ambassador to Ankara, describing it as a "provocation" aimed at ruining Turkey-Russia ties.

"If the attack was aiming to destroy relations between Turkey and Russia, it has not worked," Baslamis said, adding that the interests of Turkey and Russia require joint action of the two countries.

The expert believed the attack in the capital of Turkey has sent a message, but the essential intimidation is for Russia.

Baslamis recalled that Russia has taken an advantage of vacuum power in Syria in 2015, and since then Moscow has become the main player in the war-torn country.

As the assassination took place in the capital of Ankara, a second message was for Turkey, as Turkey has recently been acting in close coordination with Russia regarding the Syrian crisis, he said.

Turkey and Russia helped broker a ceasefire deal for Aleppo of Syria which made the evacuations of more than 37,000 people possible.

Baslamis said Turkey's relations with the western world have become tense since the July 15 coup attempt.

"We have impression that Turkey has been moving away from the West to the bloc that Russia is leading," the expert said. Endit