Moscow, Oct 29 (FN Agency) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday congratulated his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, lauding the respect the country enjoys on the global stage. “Over the past century, your [Erdogan’s] country has overcome numerous challenges, achieving generally recognised success in the economy, social sphere and other sectors. Turkiye is a highly respected country on the global stage, and rightfully so. Russian-Turkish relations are developing in the spirit of friendship and neighbourliness, which was fully confirmed at our recent meeting in Sochi,” Putin wrote in a message of greetings posted on the Kremlin’s website.
The Russian leader also praised the two countries’ fruitful cooperation in multiple spheres, with “major joint projects implemented on a regular basis.” “Moscow and Ankara successfully coordinate their efforts to resolve pressing issues on the regional and global agendas. I am confident that we will continue to consistently expand the scope of bilateral ties for the benefit of our friendly nations, aiming to build a more just and democratic world order,” Putin said. This year marks the centennial of Turkey’s foundation as a post-Ottoman republic, proclaimed by the nation’s founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on October 29, 1923.