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Mr Medvedev held talks with the Prime Minister of Turkey in Ankara today and the two leaders also chaired the High-Level Cooperation Council’s first meeting. The declaration on the council’s creation notes that the council will act as the guiding body in setting the strategy and main directions for developing Russian-Turkish relations. The council will meet annually and coordinate implementation of important political, trade and economic projects, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

A strategic planning group headed by the two countries’ foreign ministers is being established within the council to discuss the main issues on the agenda for Russia and Turkey’s cooperation in international affairs. The group will meet at least once a year. An agreement has also been reached on establishing a Russian-Turkish public forum.

Also signed following the talks between Mr Medvedev and Mr Erdogan were intergovernmental agreements on reciprocal visa requirements, cooperation on construction and operation of a nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site, and organisation of a mixed international rail and ferry link between the ports of Kavkaz (Russia) and Samsun (Turkey).

The two sides also initialled a number of memorandums: on cooperation in higher education; compliance with phyto-sanitary measures in reciprocal supply of plant-derived products; grain quality and safety; conditions for supply of poultry and other raw meat products; and agriculture.