Turkish FM denies charter flight problems with Russia

By Ayse Yildiz and Servet Tumer

ANTALYA, Turkey

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has rejected media reports about charter flight problems between Russia and Turkey.

On Tuesday, several Russian and international media outlets reported that Russia may suspend charter flights to Turkey.

Speaking at a news conference in the Mediterranean province of Antalya Friday, Cavusoglu said: "There are news stories about charter flights [from Russia to Turkey] and Mr. Putin confirmed that these news stories do not reflect the truth."

"We will host many Russian tourists this year in Antalya, Belek, Kadriye, Serik, in all of our beaches," he said.

On Thursday, the foreign minister said a delegation chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek will head to Moscow next week.

"We will sit and talk with our counterparts and hopefully reach a deal that will remove all the obstacles," Cavusoglu said.

Ankara and Moscow mended their ties after the 2015 downing of a Russian fighter jet along the Syrian border after it violated Turkish airspace.