NATO, US urges calm and de-escalation after Turkey shot down Russian jet

Middle East, News November 24, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

NATO stands in ‘solidarity sith Turkey,’ calls for ‘calm and de-escalation’ after Russian fighter jet shot down

NATO has called for ‘calm and de-escalation’ urged further contacts between Ankara and Moscow, in an extraordinary meeting held on Tuesday after Russian jet was downed near Turkey’s border with Syria.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called on all parties to be prudent and to contribute to reducing tensions after Turkey shot downed a Russian jet it says violated its airspace. Stoltenberg says the situation is serious, but that he hopes for renewed contacts between Turkey and Russia.

The North Atlantic Council said the assessments of other NATO members supported the Turkish version of events. NATO chief has been updated by the Turkish Ambassador on the recent events and also spoken to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

“We stand in solidarity with Turkey and support the territorial integrity of our NATO Ally, Turkey” he maintained, adding that NATO will continue to follow the developments on the South-Eastern borders of NATO very closely.

“Diplomacy and de-escalation are important to resolve this situation,” NATO chief stressed.

However, he made clear that “out common enemy is ISIS.” And that NATO would welcome all efforts to fight ISIS. “And it is important that all of us, also Russia, is guided by the overarching goal of defeating ISIS.”

Obama urges Turkey and Russia to avoid any kind of escalation

In a separate meeting at the White House, US President Barack Obama urged both Turkey and Russia to take measures “to discourage any kind of escalation” over the downing of the Russian warplane.

However, Obama too supported the Turkish stance on the issue. Turkey “has a right to defend its territory and its airspace”, Obama said adding that Russia is operating very close to the Turkish border as it goes after moderate opposition groups that are supported by Turkey and a wide range of countries.

The US president says that if Russia would instead concentrate its airstrikes on the Islamic State group, then mistakes would be “less likely to occur.”

Obama says that the downing of the plane underscores the importance of moving forward on efforts to find a political solution to the civil war in Syria.

The US president was speaking at a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande.