Russia lifts ban on some Turkish farm imports

A street vendor sells oranges in the town center of Silopi in southeastern Turkey, near the Iraqi border, February 23, 2008. TREUTERS/Fatih Saribas/Files

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian government on Tuesday lifted a ban on some food imports from Turkey, imposed last year after Turkey downed a Russian warplane near the Syrian border, in the latest sign of a warming in ties with Ankara. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to end the ban on Monday in Istanbul, where the two countries agreed to build an undersea gas pipeline to Turkey. A government decree said Russia had lifted the ban on imports of fresh and dried oranges, tangerines and other citrus fruit, as well as apricots, peaches and plums. Both sides have since made significant progress to mend relations and agreed to revive trade relations in July after President Tayyip Erdogan expressed regret over the shooting-down of the Russian plane. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)