text: The author's background comments are excellent. It's just hard to see how they justify her conclusion.
  
   I don't think the murder will affect the fundamentals between the two nations either way. 
  
  First. Russia and Turkey had already scheduled high-level talks on Syria, they are taking place right now. I suggest that what comes out of those talks will determine just how Russia and Turkey conduct their future mutual affairs. Obviously, the timing of the assassination may have been coordinated against those meetings. Regardless, the fact that they're having the discussion and are continuing with them is significant.