World

Erdogan says Turkey does not want escalation with Russia

Turkish president says the incident showed what kind of consequences careless steps could have

Afp November 25, 2015

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said Turkey did not want any escalation with Russia over its downing of a Russian plane on the Syrian frontier but vowed to always defend Turkish borders.

"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.

Putin rages as Turkey shoots down Russian plane

"Turkey has never favoured tensions and crisis, it has and will always favour peace and dialogue," said Erdogan.

But he added: "No one should expect us to remain silent when our border security and our sovereignty are being violated."

Turkey said it shot down the Russian warplane after it repeatedly violated air space above the Turkish border. Moscow however insists that the plane never strayed from Syrian air space.

Erdogan said that the incident early on Tuesday showed "what kind of consequences careless steps could have".

He revealed that two Turkish citizens were wounded by pieces of the Russian plane that fell on the Turkish side of the border.

Turkey shoots down Russian military plane on Syria border

The president dismissed Russian claims that the plane had been on an anti-terror mission against Islamic State (IS) terrorists in northern Syria, saying that the area was populated by Syria's Turkmen minority.

"No one should ever fool themselves: There are no Daesh (IS) elements in the Bayirbucak region where Turkmen live," said Erdogan.

COMMENTS (15)

Muhammad Altaf | 8 years ago | Reply Russia will not dare to escalate tension with Turkey they know their armament is no match to superior Turkish military armament. Besides Russia and Iran are not in Syria to destroy IS they are there to support and keep "Butcher of Syria" Assad in power.

Irredenta | 8 years ago | Reply @syed & syed: The Turkmen in Northwest Syria, adjacent to Turkey are a Turkish irredenta, (meaning: a territory historically or ethnically related to one political unit but under the political control of another.) Russia, under the pretext of fighting the ISIS is mercilessly bombarding the Turkmen, as Russia supports Syrian claim over Haitay, which joined Turkey. Adjacent to the Turkish province of Haitay, a chunk of territory with a predominant Turkmen population remains in northern-most Syria, near where the planes fell but they were shot over the Turkish territory, adjacent to the Turkish-Syrian border. ““No one,”” said the Turkish Prime Minister, Davutoglu, ““can legitimize attacks on Turkmens in Syria using the pretext of fighting the Islamic State.””

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Travis | 8 years ago | Reply A regime change is required in Turkey in the utmost urgency. The Russian plane veered inside Turkey for less than 30 secs and this man orders it shot down. Russia will avenge it in its own time.

Wisful | 8 years ago | Reply @Akbar: Wishful thinking. Keep fantasizing.

Romm | 8 years ago | Reply @ Minor: Unpredictability is the Putin's strength.... it would be stupidity to underestimate Russia... NATO is not dealing with Iraq or Libya...

Akbar | 8 years ago | Reply Turkey is trying its best to escalate with these kinds of words. What Turkey doesnt realize is its going to be a roasted turkey when the militants its sending across will come come home to Turkey to roost. Wait and Watch. Turkey is the next Pakistan. 1/2 a million dead. 3 million displaced. 1/2 a million refugees. Drugs. weapons. Huge Radicalized intolerant population.

Charles | 8 years ago | Reply @Sonya:

If Turkey didn’t want escalation why it downed the plane which was not a threat to Turkey anyway.

Syria has previously downed two Turkish planes and Russia fighter bombers and drones have repeatedly entered Turkish airspace over the past few months. Turkey had previously told both Russia and Syria that it has had enough .. that any plane, drone, or vehicle which is headed towards Turkey that is within 8 miles of it's border will be considered "hostile". In this case Russian pilot ignored repeated warnings, entered Turkish airspace - and was shot down. Turkey wasn't the provocateur - that was Russia.

syed & syed | 8 years ago | Reply And you keep on sending terrorists to Syria is it not violation of the territory of a neighbor.

curious2 | 8 years ago | Reply “No one should ever fool themselves: There are no Daesh (IS) elements in the Bayirbucak region where Turkmen live,” . Interesting - Russia likes to promote it's military action as "fighting terrorist" but most observers point out that the vast majority of Russian attacks have nothing to do with ISIS. Both Russia and Iran are more concerned with keeping Assad in power than eliminating ISIS. .

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply Several foreign Governmnts have tried to turn the territory of Turkey into a no mans land, with their aerial and ground operations against the Syrian Government, some with the tacit agreement of the Turkish Government and some without. Those who violate the Turkish sovereignty should know that they are dealing with a strong member of the NATO with its second largest military contingent, which is very much capable to defend its own independence. Vladimir Putin should consider its threats of consequences with care since neither economic nor military blackmail will work with todays Turkish republic. Rex Minor

Sonya | 8 years ago | Reply If Turkey didn't want escalation why it downed the plane which was not a threat to Turkey anyway. Lavrove is seeking a reply from Erdogan whether Turkey is providing ISIS's air protection.

Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Balanced response from Erdogan. I like it. He says not to turn this incident into a cold war.

Tahir ali | 8 years ago | Reply Zia ul Haq of Turkey is in action.

Shahdab | 8 years ago | Reply Both are our brothers. They should sit and sort out the misunderstanding between themselves or Pakistan should help to get them across the table.

Travis | 8 years ago | Reply He must apologize and pay compensation to Russia for this irresponsible act. Russians are not Kurds that Turkey can push around.

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