Turkey Seeks to Ease Tensions after Downing of Russian Warplane

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought to play down tensions with Russia Wednesday after Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane on the Syria border sparked fears among NATO allies of a wider conflict.

Moscow said Russian and Syrian special forces had rescued one of the pilots who ejected from the plane after being shot down early Tuesday but confirmed another was dead, in an incident that threatens to damage relations between two rival players in the Syrian conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted furiously to what he described as a "stab in the back committed by accomplices of terrorists", recommending that Russians do not visit Turkey, a key tourist destination.

Turkey said the Russian Su-24 warplane had violated its airspace 10 times within a five-minute period, but Russia insisted it had never strayed from Syrian territory.

The shooting also risks derailing efforts to bring peace to Syria that were gaining tentative momentum following the November 13 Paris attacks claimed by Islamic State militants who control swathes of northern Syria.

Erdogan vowed to always defend Turkish borders but appeared to want to avoid provoking further one of the biggest crises between Russia and a NATO member in recent years.

"We have no intention to escalate this incident. We are just defending our security and the rights of our brothers," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Istanbul.

U.S. President Barack Obama said Washington's NATO ally Turkey had a right to defend its airspace but said his priority was to make sure the standoff did not escalate.

"Hopefully, this is a moment in which all parties can step back and make a determination as to how their interests are best served," Obama said.

Erdogan and Obama agreed on the need to reduce tensions and prevent a repeat of similar incidents in a phone call late Tuesday, the Turkish presidency said.

Following an extraordinary meeting of the alliance called by Ankara, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said "diplomacy and de-escalation are important to resolve this situation," he said.

The Turkish ambassador to the United Nations Halit Cevik said in a letter to the Security Council that two planes were involved, one of which was shot down while the other left Turkish airspace.

He said both planes had flown 1.36 miles (2.19 kilometers) into Turkish airspace for 17 seconds from 0724 GMT Tuesday.

Ankara and Moscow are already on starkly opposing sides in the over four-year Syrian civil war, with Turkey wanting to see the ousting of President Bashar Assad but Russia one of his last remaining allies.

Assad's other key ally Iran also slammed Ankara's behavior. Turkey's behavior "sends the wrong message to the terrorists" in Syria, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

In apparent response to Turkey's move, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow would be sending its most hi-tech S-400 air defense system to its airbase in Syria.

Russia's Moskva guided missile cruiser will now be stationed near the Syrian Mediterranean port of Latakia, the defense ministry said.

As well as canceling a visit to Turkey planned for Wednesday, Lavrov warned Russians against travel to the country, which would be a huge blow for the Turkish tourism industry.

Putin Wednesday backed the recommendation as a "necessary measure".

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev accused Turkey of "practically protecting Islamic State (IS) militants", even accusing Turkish officials of benefiting from trade with the jihadists.

There had been fears of such a mid-air incident since Russia launched air strikes in Syria in September, to the consternation of nations already involved in a U.S.-led anti-IS coalition.

Turkey had bitterly condemned Russia's campaign, saying it was aimed at hitting Syrian rebels and buttressing the Assad regime rather than hurting IS jihadists.

Two Russian pilots were seen on images parachuting to the ground after the shooting down but their fate risked creating further tensions.

Russian military spokesman General Sergei Rudskoi said one had been killed by fire from the ground while Shoigu said the other had been freed by Russian and Syrian special forces and is now at a Russian airbase.

Rudskoi said another soldier had been killed in a failed bid to rescue the pair after one of his squadron's helicopters was damaged by gunfire and had to land. The other members of the squad were successfully evacuated.

Turkey's pro-government press applauded the shooting down, with Ilnur Cevik in Daily Sabah saying the Russian incursion was "the last drop for Turkey to break its silence towards Russia's violence in the region".

However columnist Mehmet Yilmaz in the mainstream Hurriyet daily accused Erdogan of plunging Turkey into a "quagmire", warning of "grave political and economic consequences for Turkey".

The repercussions of the incident also affected global markets with oil prices turning higher and stocks down, with shares in airlines and travel firms particularly hit.

Comments 32
Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 10:19

Good Job Syrian army.

Default-user-icon just saying (Guest) 25 November 2015, 10:26

more like he was traded in to lessen any dramatic escalation and to save face for Putin, botoxed face I may add

Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 16:10

And in the end Israel will fall, because they harvest from the Wahabis.

Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 16:39

asaf, how come Turkey as the so called sunni muslim power, never attacked Israel to support their sunni brothers of Palestine?

Thumb barrymore 25 November 2015, 16:53

mystic, a better question to ask since Turkey and Israel recognize each other and have diplomatic relations is : how come Iran (that shouts death to Israel and death to America) the so called shia khomeini power never attacked Israel and liberated Palestine and never fired a missile at Israel in support of their shia hezbollah.

Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 17:20

yeah said the crusader barry, how does it feel to forsake christianity and favor wahabism like your master Geagea?
Cowards all of them, all of you.

My fact is, that Turkey and Saudi Arabia are quick to attack everyone except Israel, even though they are both calling themselves Sunnah countries, where is their support to Sunnis of palestine then.

There is none, Turkey likes to hide under Obamas behind. They always acted like cowards those turks.
The ones I hate more are you guys Barry, fake christians supporting the same terrorists that burns crosses and mutilates statues of Virgin mary.

Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 16:10

Destroy the Ottomans and Wahabis.
Peace in the world would be the result then.

Default-user-icon mowaten.roundup (Guest) 25 November 2015, 11:14

excellent job by the syrian army

Default-user-icon mowaten.minesweeoer (Guest) 25 November 2015, 11:15

Well done Syrian army

Default-user-icon mowaten.minesweeper (Guest) 25 November 2015, 12:12

correkshun; my name is mowaten.minesweeper not mowaten.minesweeoer

Default-user-icon mowaten.sunbeam (Guest) 25 November 2015, 11:15

incredible job by the syrian army

Default-user-icon mowaten.1isisbajmitexasusa (Guest) 25 November 2015, 11:17

fantastic job by the syrian army

Default-user-icon mowaten.1tashmitexasusa (Guest) 25 November 2015, 11:17

great job by the syrian army

Thumb EagleDawn 25 November 2015, 11:53

The terrorist sectarian party can go into syria on a killing spree claiming it is defending shia villages but Turkey is criticized by the trolls and their masters for caring about the Turkmen and Turkmen villages inside Syria. The Russians now know better than to mess with someone who has dignity.

Well done Turkey for downing the invading Russian mercenaries.

Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 11:59

Turkmen of Nusra front you wahabi bird.
Russia will indeed pay Turkey back.
Ottomans feels they can hide behind NATO, yeah they have so much dignity.
Ottoman empire will fall once again.

Default-user-icon mowaten.kiev (Guest) 25 November 2015, 12:11

well done to Turkey and and and

Default-user-icon Return of the_roar (Guest) 25 November 2015, 12:27

I am thinking about posting again and wondering whether I will get the same divine reception I got 2 days ago. Will you guys vote me up 30 times if I post?

Default-user-icon -.Southern. (Guest) 25 November 2015, 13:07

nice to see you back roar

Thumb ado.australia 25 November 2015, 12:37

Listen to Sultan Erdegon beg for deescalation and calm. Listen to Putin warn of revenge! Listen to Nato ask for calm! They shot down an 1974 bomber with an F16 and then shot the ejected pilot as he helplessly parachuted and blew up a rescue chopper when on the ground! This is pure act of aggression by Turkey. Even Turkey argue that they only entered Turk airspace for 17seconds. Erdegon is trying to divide europe / russian alliance. Will be interesting what happens next! Already Russia has said it is to install s-400 air defence missiles. Not the s-300s that syria and iran have been beginning for over the past 6 years... the s-400 is the most advanced air defence system in the world. Able to shoot down any thing in the air! Also fighters will be escorting the russian bombers from now on... lets see turks F16 try that again!

Thumb marcus 25 November 2015, 12:55

ado please STFU

Thumb Mystic 25 November 2015, 17:18

how about you shut up marcus ottoman.

Thumb ado.australia 25 November 2015, 13:07

8.5 hours ahead of Paris time

Default-user-icon Zabranov (Guest) 25 November 2015, 13:11

ado.asutralia aka karmic/2/3/4/5/6/7.... has just finished talking to putin and was informed of the minute military details such as "Also fighters will be escorting the russian bombers from now on... "
Ado is a typical troll who invents things and believes me. Typical ashraf nass

Thumb ado.australia 25 November 2015, 13:21

haha... Good one. Nice to see you're paying attention:)

Missing heroes 25 November 2015, 19:14

Long time reader and first time commenter. Disgusted with the sectarian comments. However, thank you @Nonabel, you bring laughter to me when I read your jokes.

Default-user-icon Labayka (Guest) 25 November 2015, 13:32

Labayka Ya Ardogan Ya Batal Ya Modern Day Version of Yazid

Thumb justin 25 November 2015, 16:23

"This is Turkish Air force speaking en garde"
"You are approaching Turkish Air Space"
"Change Your Heading South Immediately"

تسجيل صوتي يؤكد تحذير المقاتلة الروسية قبيل إسقاطها
المتحدث باسم عمليات قوات التحالف الدولي وطيار هولندي أكدا التحذير أيضاً

http://www.alarabiya.net/ar/arab-and-world/syria/2015/11/25/تسجيل-صوتي-يؤكد-تحذير-المقاتلة-الروسية-قبل-اسقاطها.html

Turkey releases audio of moment its F16 pilots warned Russian warplane before shooting it down over Syrian border

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/turkey-releases-audio-of-moment-its-f16-pilots-warned-russian-warplane-before-shooting-it-down-over-a6747921.html

Listen to dramatic moment Turkey warns Russian fighter jet to retreat before shooting it down

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/listen-dramatic-moment-turkey-warns-6896084

Thumb ice-man 25 November 2015, 16:35

very sad moments indeed..... RIP Sacha

Thumb barrymore 25 November 2015, 16:55

The Russians are criminals. They shot down that poor Malaysian plane for no reason and to this date they keep denying it. They wanted to shoot down a Ukranian commercial jetliner but they made a mistake.

Thumb barrymore 25 November 2015, 17:11

طيار السوخوي: لم نر او نسمع اي نداء من طائرات تركية.

even their pilots are liars;)

Thumb shab 25 November 2015, 18:01

Shoot more down

Missing heroes 25 November 2015, 19:10

Long time reader and first time commenter. Thank you for your daily jokes, @Nonabel. I look forward to reading them everyday.