In addition, the Presidents of Russia and Turkey discussed the resumption of tourist trips, as well as the situation in Idlib.
TASS reports quoting the Kremlin’s press service that on Monday, during a telephone conversation between the leaders of the two countries, initiated by Turkey, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation around the change in the status of the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Istanbul from a museum to a mosque.
“Vladimir Putin drew the attention of Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the significant public outcry that triggered the decision in Russia to change the status of St. Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul. The Turkish President gave relevant explanations, noting that access to this unique monument of world civilization will be guaranteed for all comers, including foreign citizens, and the safety of Christian shrines will be ensured”, – the press service said.
In addition, the heads of Russia and Turkey agreed to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to end the armed confrontation in Libya as soon as possible and return to the negotiation process in that country, and praised the cooperation between the two countries’ defense ministries, which allowed to stabilize the situation in Syrian Idlib. Finally, Putin and Erdogan discussed the prospects for resuming tourist exchanges as the sanitary and epidemiological situation improves.