UPDATE - Turkey recently 'makes breakthrough' in aviation sector

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM PRESIDENTS OF TURKEY, RUSSIA

By Diyar Guldogan and Elena Teslova

ANKARA/MOSCOW (AA) - Ankara has taken “important steps” in the aviation sphere in the recent period, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"With the motto 'The future is in the skies', Turkey has made a breakthrough in the aviation area in the recent period," Erdogan said in Moscow, Russia’s capital.

Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin were participating in the inauguration ceremony of the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019, one of the world’s leading events in its field.

Erdogan said Turkey is becoming a country that "has a say" in the field of aviation and space technology.

"As of the end of 2018, the total exports of our defense and aviation sector have reached $2.5 billion," Erdogan said.

Bilateral relations with Russia will deepen further thanks to the cooperation in aviation and space technology, he stated.

Erdogan reiterated that Ankara wants to increase the bilateral trade volume with Russia to $100 billion.

Putin, for his part, said Moscow "deeply appreciates" the global attention paid to the MAKS air show.

"I'm sure that all our partners, including, of course, our Turkish friends, Turkish delegation, will be interested in the achievements of aviation and space industry, the last generation products and this will open the new possibilities for the cooperation of the two countries," he added.

Putin said the aircraft construction highly depends on the international cooperation, combined efforts of the constructors and scientists, and the effective use of the industrial outputs.

Turkey’s Erdogan is in Moscow for a one-day trip. As part of the visit, the leaders will discuss bilateral relations and international issues, particularly Syria. They are also set to hold a joint news conference.