Minister: Turkey to retaliate if Moscow retains trade curbs

ANKARA, Aug 9 (PRIME) -- Turkey will have to take retaliatory steps if Moscow does not abolish its trade restrictions, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci told businessmen at a meeting on Wednesday.

“We are feeling great pressure (from exporters) because of the remaining trade restrictions on some vegetables besides tomatoes. We will be forced to retaliate because we can ignore this no longer,” Zeybekci said, adding that Ankara hopes to restart tomato exports any more.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in May that he and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided to lift mutual trade restrictions introduced in force since 2016 after a Turkish jet downed Russian Su-24 bomber.

But the limitations imposed by the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight remain in force, and Russia prohibits imports of Turkish tomatoes at a government level. In May, Turkey introduced restrictions on imports or Russian wheat as retaliation for delays in easing the Russian rules. The restrictions were later cancelled.

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