Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Russian Ambassador to Ankara Andrei Karlov made an important contribution to Russian-Turkish relations in their difficult period and his death saddened both peoples, RIA Novosti reports.

December 19 marks five years since the death of a Russian diplomat at the opening of an exhibition in Ankara. Cavusoglu noted that Karlov played an important role in the difficult period of Turkish-Russian relations.

“During his tenure, he showed himself as a respected diplomat who was loved in the diplomatic community,” Cavusoglu stressed.

The head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry noted that the diplomat tried to raise relations between Russia and Turkey to a new level, his successful activities made a significant contribution to the Turkish-Russian friendship. He expressed condolences to Karlov's family and said that he remembered the policy with respect.

In March, a court in Ankara sentenced the defendants in the murder of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov. The attack was carried out by police officer Mevlut Altintash who was guarding the ambassador at the event, who was later eliminated in a shootout with law enforcement officers. Five of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment, nine people who were involved in the case received from 5 to 15 years in prison, and several other defendants are on the wanted list.

bbabo.Net