Turkish President Erdogan claims to be ‘truly saddened’ but insists Russian plane was not deliberately shot down
The Turkish leader hopes to meet his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of this week’s climate conference in Paris after Putin refused to take his phone calls
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed regret for Turkey shooting down a Russian warplane and said he hopes Turkey can repair relations with Moscow at this week’s Paris climate summit. Still, he pointedly declined to apologise.
“We are truly saddened by this incident,” Erdogan told supporters in Balikesir.
“We wish it hadn’t happened as such, but unfortunately such a thing has happened. I hope that something like this doesn’t occur again.”
It was his first expression of regret since Turkish F-16s shot down the Russian jet Tuesday on grounds of violating Turkey’s airspace despite repeated warnings. It was the first time in half a century that a Nato member shot down a Russian plane. Russia denies it was over Turkish territory.
Erdogan said neither Turkey nor Russia should allow the incident to escalate or lead to “saddening consequences”. It was the second day in a row that Erdogan has reached out to Moscow.
“Turkey did not down the Russian plane on purpose,” he said in remarks on Friday, according to the Daily Sabah. “It is nothing but an automatic reaction to a border breach, an exercise of the rules of engagement.”
