December 20, 2017•Update: December 21, 2017
By Nazli Yuzbasioglu
ANKARA
Moscow and Ankara need to maintain joint work on the struggle against terrorism, Russian lawmakers said on Wednesday.
"The people of Russia and Turkey need to continue with their joint work on the struggle against terrorism. As Russian members of parliament, we are ready to do our best in this regard," Umakhan Umakhanov, deputy of the Russia's State Duma -- the lower house of parliament -- said.
Umakhanov said the most important item on the agenda was counterterrorism, adding: "Our cooperation effectively continues now."
Umakhanov and Anatoly Viborny, deputy head of the State Duma committee on security and resisting corruption, visited Ankara to strengthen ties with the Turkish parliament and to attend a commemoration for former Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov who was assassinated last year.
Karlov was described as "exemplary" diplomat for Turkey-Russia relations.
Viborny said they had "productive" meetings in Ankara and said cooperation was needed in the fight against terrorism, which is an international problem.
"Both Russia and Turkey have efforts in this area. Of course, a legal basis should be established to cooperate in this area," he said.
Viborny expressed his sadness over Karlov's assassination, saying: "Such an act was certainly directed against Russian-Turkish relations. Russia knows very well what terrorism is."
Turkish-Russian relations were tested after Karlov's assassination. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the shooting as a "provocation" designed to undermine bilateral ties.
