Empty Beaches Force Ankara to Apologize for Downing Russian Jet – Lawmaker

© Sputnik / Vladimir Vyatkin / Go to the mediabankRussian tourists in Antalya
Russian tourists in Antalya - Sputnik International
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Importance of trade relations with Russia along with a decline in the number of Russian tourists pushed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to send a letter expressing regret over the downing of a Russian aircraft, member of the European Parliament Anders Vistisen told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, the Kremlin announced that Erdogan had sent a letter regarding the incident with the Russian plane, saying "Excuse us" and pledging to take any steps to "relieve the pain and severity of damage" caused to the family of the pilot killed during the incident.

"It's clear that the decline in Russians traveling to Turkey on holiday have pressured Erdogan to normalize the relationship with Russia and Putin. Furthermore the trade relationship between Russia and Turkey is so important that Erdogan is willing to do almost everything to be friends with Russia," Vistisen said.

There has been a 35-percent decline in Turkey’s tourism industry, underlined by a five-fold drop in the number of Russian tourists visiting resorts in Turkey's Antalya alone in comparison to last year, according to Antalya's tourism department.

The body of the pilot of Russia's Su-24 bomber that was shot down by Turkey last week has arrived at the Chkalovsky Airport near Moscow - Sputnik International
Erdogan's Letter to Putin on Russian Su-24 'Good Initiative' - EU Lawmaker
Turkish-Russian relations deteriorated after a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down the Russian Su-24 combat jet near the Turkish border in Syria on November 24, 2015. The jet was carrying out anti-terrorist operations in Syria. The crew of the plane ejected and one of the pilots, Oleg Peshkov, was killed by ground fire, while the second pilot survived.

Russia has repeatedly said that Turkey should apologize for downing the plane and cover any material losses to the country and the pilot's family, as well as punish those responsible for the incident.

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