ANKARA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed on Wednesday over phone reviving bilateral ties and agreed to meet in person, the Turkish Presidency said.
The phone call came two days after Erdogan sent a message to Putin to express his deep sorrow over the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey in November 2015, in a bid to end a months-long strain in ties between Ankara and Moscow.
According to a Turkish Presidency statement, both leaders emphasized the importance of normalizing bilateral relations, expressing their determination to restore ties and fight terrorism.
The conversation was "positive and productive," the statement quoted presidential sources as saying.
Local NTV said that the two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the forthcoming G20 summit in China.
The Russian president condemned the terrorist attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport on Tuesday and shared his condolences with the people of Turkey.
