Erdogan, Putin to Discuss IS, Turkish Stream in Moscow

Islamic State and energy are set to dominate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during the Turkish head of state's visit to Moscow on Wednesday.

This comes as Ankara and Moscow are at odds over Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict and the buildup of forces it has been carrying out in the past weeks.

H?rriyet Daily News quotes Turkish PM Ahmet Davuto?lu as saying on Monday the decision by Russia "is very dangerous" and Ankara therefore is watching the situation "with deep concern".

Some 28 Russian jets have already been deployed to Syria, and media outlets such as FT and Wall Street Journal report Moscow is about to send 2000 troops to the port of Latakia. Russia is now becoming increasingly open about its will to protect embattled Syrian President Bashara al-Assad whose regime is facing attacks from the Islamic State (IS) group and other factions.

IS left aside, the so-called Turkish Stream gas pipeline project is also on the agenda.

Talks over Turkish Stream, which was to substitute the abandoned South Stream project, were frozen after a dispute over gas pricing.

RIA Novosti agency also reports Erdogan is to attend the reopening of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, one of the oldest temples of the Russian capital which was reconstructed after being demolished in 2011.

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