Russian FM: "Turkey is our partner"

In an interview with Sabah daily, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday said that though plans for missile defense systems have led to friction between Russia and the US, such systems could be installed in Turkey. "Turkey can contribute to these common efforts,"he said, and added, "We're partners with Turkey in the area of energy. Russian firms are interested in nuclear energy in Turkey, they're ready to cooperate."Touching on Turkey's cross-border operations into northern Iraq, Lavrov said, "We are definitely in favor of protecting Iraq's territorial integrity. We also condemn any group's attempts to launch violent activities from northern Iraq."