|
ANKARA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday that Ankara will not pay compensation over the downing of a Russian jet, Anadolu Agency reported.
"We only expressed our sadness over the incident and shared the grief of the Russian pilot's family," Yildirim said in a meeting of ruling Justice and Development Party.
He also said legal proceedings were ongoing for the man alleged to be responsible for killing the Russian pilot.
The Kremlin announced Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a telephone talk with Turkish President Erdogan on Wednesday, while Turkey said that Putin would have a "thank-you call" to Erdogan, local NTV reported.
It is the first time Putin calls Erdogan since downing of Russian jet in November last year, local Daily Sabah reported.
Yildirim said that the initiatives by the two leaders "have finally started bearing some fruits."
President Erdogan sent a letter to President Putin on Monday, expressing sadness over the downing of a Russian jet in an attempt to mend strained ties between the two countries.
