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NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
Mon Jun 27, 2016, 01:18 PM Jun 2016

Turkey apologizes for shooting down Russian warplane last year

Source: Washington Post

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized Monday for the downing of a Russian warplane in November and called for Russia and Turkey to mend a bilateral relationship that has become openly hostile over the incident.

One Russian pilot was killed last year when two Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane over Turkey’s border with Syria in an unexpected clash that Russian President Vladi­mir Putin called a “stab in the back administered by the accomplices of terrorists.” In footage later aired on Russian state television, pro-Turkish rebels fired automatic rifles at the Russian pilot as he parachuted to the ground. The Kremlin was furious, imposing a series of punishing sanctions against Ankara while demanding for months that Erdogan personally apologize.

On Monday, Erdogan wrote to Putin that he “would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us.” In a statement, Erdogan’s press secretary said Russia and Turkey “have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations,” specifically noting regional crises and combating terrorism.

“We had no wish or intention to down a plane of the Russian Federation,” a Kremlin press release quoted the Turkish communique as saying. “I share their pain with my whole heart,” Erdogan wrote of the family of the pilot

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/turkey-apologizes-for-shooting-down-russian-warplane-last-year/2016/06/27/d969e0ea-3c6d-11e6-9e16-4cf01a41decb_story.html



I think Turkey's economy that has taken a major hit has something to do with this. Erdogan was defiant at the time.
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Turkey apologizes for shooting down Russian warplane last year (Original Post) NWCorona Jun 2016 OP
I am surprised by this. David__77 Jun 2016 #1
I was surprised too. We also have Turkey trying to work it out NWCorona Jun 2016 #2
I'm not sure Turkey can 840high Jun 2016 #3
wow. Russia still hasn't even admitted its role in shooting down the MH17 passenger airliner uhnope Jun 2016 #4
I suspect this cstanleytech Jun 2016 #5
Heh... Xolodno Jun 2016 #6

David__77

(23,220 posts)
1. I am surprised by this.
Mon Jun 27, 2016, 01:56 PM
Jun 2016

I hope that Russia and Turkey improve their relations and support a resolution to the war in Syria.

cstanleytech

(26,082 posts)
5. I suspect this
Mon Jun 27, 2016, 04:04 PM
Jun 2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Stream
has something to do with it as well as why Russia invaded the Ukraine since they can now route it via the Crimean Peninsula.
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