A Kremlin source said ahead of the talks that Russian-Turkish trade grew 45.4% year on year in 2005, to reach $12.6 billion.
Russia is the second largest importer to Turkey (9.3%), and ranks eighth as an export destination for Turkish goods (2.9%). Russian investments in Turkey stood at $200 billion in 2005.
The source said the two countries were continuing to develop energy cooperation. In 2005, supplies of Russian natural gas to Turkey hit 18 billion cu m, of which 5 billion cu m was pumped across the Black Sea through the Blue Stream pipeline, the largest Russian-Turkish joint energy project to date.
"The sides are proactively discussing prospects for joint implementation of gas, pipeline and other projects linked with Russian oil and gas transportation via Turkey to world markets, and involvement of Russian companies in construction of underground gas depositories in Turkey," the source said, adding that Russia could also join Turkey's nuclear energy development program.
