Outstanding Diplomat Karlov Tried to Save Russian-Turkish Relations – Kremlin

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov assassinated in Ankara was an outstanding diplomat, who tried to return Russian-Turkish relations to the previous level of advanced strategic partnership, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Monday, Karlov was killed by a Turkish off-duty police officer at an art gallery exhibition opening in Ankara. Three more people were also injured in the attack.

"He worked in the Foreign Ministry. When I worked in the Foreign Ministry, I met with him. Within last several years the president [Vladimir Putin] visited Turkey several times and Karlov accompanied the president. We communicated during preparations for [president’s] visits. That was a really outstanding diplomat. That is a great loss for our Foreign Ministry and great loss for bilateral relations," Peskov told the MIR TV-channel in an interview.

He pointed out that Karlov headed the Russian embassy in Turkey during the crisis in bilateral relations following the downing a Russian Su-24 plane by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet in Syria.

"This ambassador worked under the circumstances of this crisis, this ambassador, who contributed to reviving our relations after the crisis. And he actively tried to return the relations to the previous level of advanced strategic partnership," Peskov said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it considered the attack a terrorist act.

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